Moogle Comfort
by SchwaWarrior
Summary: Left behind by her clan for a while, Molly takes it into her own hands to master an advanced Time Magic technique. When it goes wrong, her life begins changing drastically... and it may have been the best thing to ever happen to her. Finished at last!
1. Prolouge

_Prolouge_

"Home, Mom!"

Mom didn't look up from what she was doing. There was simply the sound of the nearby front door opening and closing as her 18-year-old son tromped through the house, throwing his coat on the floor as he made his way to the small hallway leading to his room.

"You're home quite late, Tucker," Mom criticized while she made dinner, still not looking up from her work. "Didn't I say no later than six o'clock?"

"Yeah, sorry, the game went a little late. James wouldn't accept a tie score." Following his faint reply was simply the sound of Tucker closing his bedroom door.

Inside, Tucker looked through his messy desk drawers until he found what he was looking for, and pulled it out. It was a sheet of lined paper with several equations on it, half of them marked with a red dash by a red ink pen. Tucker's mouth formed into a squiggle. "Okay, _how_ did I get this one wrong again?" He sighed and pulled a thick textbook off his desk shelf, cracking it open.

The pages of the mathbook started slowly turning by themselves as a faint gust of wind blew through the area. "What the _hell?_" responded Tucker, curiously. "The heater's not on... What's with the..."

The gust picked up in speed. It seemed to be coming from everywhere and going everywhere at once, knocking loose things off of surfaces and blowing the clothes everywhere. Tucker fell to the ground, staring up at the ceiling. The bedroom and lamp lights flickered as if the power was going out, and a distorted grinding sound filled the room, getting louder and higher pitched... Tucker was legitimately afraid for his life, not daring to speak.

Suddenly there was the sound of a steel hull shattering like glass as a huge orb of black, wavy energy formed like a bubble in the center of his room, filling almost the entire room. Before it had appeared, objects were repulsed by the force. Now it was drawing things in, including Tucker.

Tucker grabbed his bedpost, but the bed started to drag along the ground. "Hooooooolyyyyyyy shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!!!" was his last words before he was sucked into the center of the dark sphere. It closed instantly, shrinking out of existance. The room was in shambles now and Tucker was gone.

"Tucker, what's wrong!?" Mom said as she burst in the room. Then she gasped in horror and fear.

"Tucker!? Tucker, where are you!!?" she called, caught in the unforgiving grip of anxiety. "Tuckerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!"


	2. Enter the Moogle

Chapter 1 - _Enter the Moogle_

* * *

"Kupo!"

That's the sound of a Moogle; a young, happy, white-furred Moogle lass, clad in a tunic-- white around the upper torso, violet everywhere else, hurrying home for dinner across the paved, slightly crowded streets of Baguba after an eventful day. The paths she took on the way home were routine... across the bridge, turn the corner, up the stairs, past the airport, another corner... The trip home each evening was 9 minutes, 23 seconds on the mark. She had counted, so she knew.

Today was no different. Her mom, clad in her usual blue apron and white top of smooth textile material, was waiting for her at the door, knowing what time she would arrive, as was the case every day for many many months in a row. She jumped into her arms and they shared a firm, furry Moogle embrace.

"Hello Mother! Kupo! What's for dinner?"

"How does dumplings sound?"

"Sounds good, kupo!"

"Good, 'cause that's what I made, kupo."

They talked as they ate. The bond the Moogle girl shared with her parents shone like the sun. The girl was well-loved throughout her neighboorhood and had no enemies in said neighborhood. Being around her would make your day bright, no matter what race, Job class or status in society you were.

"So Molly, what went on today with the guys?"

"Kupo! We were on a patrol mission today on the borders of Baguba, got in a kupo battle with some Bangaa who thought they owned the place, kupo."

Mom frowned. "How'd that go?"

She told her mom about the battle as descriptively as possible-- how she attacked the Ice Shield-weilding Warrior in the back with Thunder, how she dodged the enemy Dragoon's Bangaa Cry, how Elliot, her fellow clansman, protected her with the Templar-spell Astra for when an enemy cast Break on her... Mom swore she felt her fur go grey when Molly described that part. But here Molly was, safe and sound like every day before that... Thanks to the Judges, should Molly ever be defeated in an engagement, she would be safe and sound right after the battle was over.

Molly felt right at home in the clan, and Mom was happy for her. It had originally been Dad's idea for her to join one, as he wasn't home that often; being the travelling merchant that he was, it was often normal for him to be gone for days or even months at a time. They both felt she needed some social time with people besides the Moogle children in her neighborhood... time with people of other races besides Moogles, as was healthy for anyone in Molly's shoes. His first idea was for her to go with him on his merchant expeditions all over Ivalice, but they agreed that was a far more dangerous option, especially since the dad's merchant trips sometimes involved the dreaded, lawless Jagds and they weren't about to put her life in jeopardy like that. She was only 10 years old, which was not as young as a human of the same age, since Moogles aged faster than humans, but 10 years is still a young age to perish.

Which, also posing initial concern to Mom, made her by far the youngest member of the clan she was in; the second youngest was a Viera girl of 19, April the Sniper, and that was 19 in _Viera_ years; Vieras aged only one-third as fast as a human, making the teenage Viera in reality older than most of the clan. Nonetheless, the rest of the clan, all members included, loved Molly very much as a fellow clansman, her with her bright and chipper attitude towards life, and made sure to include her in as many activities as they could. Most of their work was done around Baguba anyway, with their leader being a Moogle as well, so that wasn't much of a problem.

"Oh yeah! Guess what else happened today, kupo?"

"What?"

"Guess, I said!" She bounded up and down energetically, almost too much for the Moogle mom to handle.

Mom took a stab. "Oh, um... Kupo, I don't know. You found a boyfriend?"

"Kupooooo! No way Mom! What the heck!" Molly laughed heartily.

Mom laughed along with her daughter. "Well, you said guess... I was joking anyway, kupo. What happened?"

"Yinns told me I would make a good Time Mage!"

"Oh my! ...And are you thinking of trying that out?"

Molly's tone changed. "Kupo, I'm not sure. He... He said to become one I would have to learn two spells besides the three I already know, kupo... But to do that he said I would need to switch to a new weapon..."

"Yes, hun, all skills are learned through the help of items..."

"It's just... I LIKE this Rod. I've had it for years... Ever since I joined the clan, kupo. I don't want to give it up..."

"Aww..." They were on the couch, sitting side by side. Mom laid a hand on Molly's furry Moogle head. "Molly, sweetie, you don't have to give up your Rod, kupo... You can keep your old Rod in your room, can't you? We can even bronze it for you if you'd like, kupo. Strange as it sounds."

"I... guess so, kupo..." Molly looked down at the ground, lost in thought.

"This is a natural reaction that everyone has the first time they have to consider changing weapons, kupo. You don't have to become a Time Mage either, you know... If you're so against giving up your Rod..."

Molly looked at Mom. "I want to, though. Yinns has always believed in me and my skill, kupo... He's always urged me to improve and strive to be as strong as I can be." She was silent for a while... Neither Moogle said anything, and Mom thought of what a mature observation Molly had made. The clan was definitely a learning experience for the young Moogle girl.

"What were you like when you were in a clan, Mom?" Molly suddenly said, catching Mom by surprise.

"Oh, honey... I... I was never in a clan. Instead I married, settled down and had you, kupo."

"...Oh, kupo... Wouldn't it have been possible to do both?"

"Well, I suppose... Wait, you're not asking me to join the clan or anything, are you?" Mom knew this would happen eventually.

"Kupo! No no, nothing like that... Though now that you mention it..."

Mom smiled. "Molly, kupo... I can't commit to something like that, my girl... With your father gone from the house so much of the time, someone needs to stay and look after the house, kupo." Pause. "Molly, you've grown to be so mature since you joined Yinns's clan, kupo. You know I'd support you in any descision you'd make. I think if you wanted to, and were driven, you would make a wonderful Time Mage. If that's your choice, kupo, we'll even pay for a new Rod for you."

"Kupopo! Really!?" This news excited Molly dearly.

"Of course, sweetie. You're part of a wonderful clan with great people and great ambitions, kupo, and it would be my dream come true to see you become such an important part of a clan like that."

They hugged again. "Thank you Mom! Kupopo! Thank you!"

* * *

That night, before bed, Molly took out her trusty Rod, kissed it, and laid it on a special cloth covering the only unoccupied shelf in her room. She laid in bed, feeling at first as if she were giving up a part of herself by making this choice, but as she fell asleep that night she decided it were more like a metamorphosis than a sacrifice. 


	3. The Enduring Fellowship of Indigo

Chapter 2 - _The Enduring Fellowship of Indigo

* * *

_

It was three days later, morning, and the members of Clan Indigo, minus one Molly, resided in a treehouse on the edge of an oceanside cliff 3 minutes from Baguba's borders. It was no ordinary treehouse, however-- it had been reinforced with the touch of a war-veteran Gadgeteer and inventor-on-the-side, Yinns, leader of Clan Indigo, widely known as the "Blue Rocket" for his ace piloting skills during three deciding aerial battles over Baguba in the past. He was rather mild-mannered for an air-force person, but the clan knew what he was like around his buddies, respecting him either way as both a pilot and their clan leader. The treehouse, their clan headquarters, had a voice-activated opening door, so only Yinns and his clan members could enter by themselves, and the tree itself was hollowed out and had cannons built into it in case Clan Indigo needed to fight a battle close-quarters. To this day they have never had to actually use the cannons-- the sight of them ready to fire beams of destruction was enough to bring the morale of the opponent down to a level unsatisfactory for combat of any kind.

Inside the Indigo HQ resided five old friends and clanners. Yinns the Moogle occupied the corner of the room, clad in his blue overcoat with all those pockets, doing arobics-- something he often did in the mornings ever since the wartime, even with the heavy coat. (When he took OFF the coat to exercise, he meant _business_.) Elliot was reclining in one of those armchairs that leaned back when you pulled the lever, eyes closed, apparently doing nothing, however he kept his Snake Staff held in both scaly hands, laid across his body diagonally. He never let that staff out of his sight, as it helped him communicate with his lord and master, the Dragon Totema Adrammelech.

The round, wooden table was occupied by a maroon-clad Viera, a Bangaa with thick, silver armor, and a Nu Mou in typical Black Mage attire (the pointed, straw hat was "typical" while the robes were a thick, very dark grey, rather than the Black Mage's typical blue robe). The Nu Mou had no expression on his face whatsoever, while the aggressive-natured Bangaa and spritely, teenage Viera were chatting it up like there was no tomorrow. All three held two playing cards in their hands and were careful not to show each-other, as well as a stack of Gil on the table by each of them.

"I can read you like a book, Theodore!" the Bangaa exclaimed. "You have a 5 and an 8, off-ssuit. Admit I'm right!"

No response. Theodore knew he was going to have to show him up pretty soon.

"Fine, I'll play your game. Raisse 400 Gil!"

In a very serious tone, the Nu Mou spoke, sliding Gil into the center of the table. "Raise 2000 Gil."

The Viera burst out laughing. "Haha! Alastor, _when will you learn_? This is the third time he's played you like this! ...I fold."

"URGH! April, I don't need your commentss, they're disstracting! ...Fine, Theodore, raise 4000 Gil," he declared, trying to keep his temper in check.

"You're tilting." Theodore. Again, serious as ever.

"Quiet you! No I'm not!"

"All in."

"All in it iss, hippo!" Each slid a large amount of Gil into the center of the table, winner take all. Alastor the Bangaa's adrenaline level was too high for him to think strategically at this point.

Both laid their cards down, and Theodore revealed his Pocket Queens. April burst out laughing again.

The Bangaa on the armchair opened one eye. "Pleasse. Keep it quieter," he hissed. "It'ss hard to have morning prayerss while you three bicker."

April tried to regain control of herself, still laughing between words. "Sorry, it's so hard to keep calm with Alastor's amazing read-you-like-a-book abilities in play..."

Yinns spoke up, still exercising. By now he was in the Jumping Jacks stage and hadn't even broken a sweat. "Not again, kupopo... Theodore pulled out pockets on you, Alastor?"

"Yess... Againsst my Jack 10 ssuited diamondss... Well, April, you're the dealer, let'ss ssee ssome dealing!" He was determined to get it over with, knowing he probably lost. But in a pre-flop all-in, anything could happen. He clung to that chance.

"Oh, right." April revealed the first three cards, also known as the Flop. Queen, 10, Queen stared up at them. Theodore had flopped a 4-of-a-kind.

Amazingly, Theodore was still as expressionless as ever. He spoke two words. "I win."

April, eyes wide. "Wow... Just wow..."

Alastor, eyes narrow. "You musst be joking... Nobody'ss that good..."

Back to Theodore. "It's just luck, Alastor. I don't often bet pre-flop like that, but I could not bear to leave alone a comment like you made."

The Bishop on the couch spoke up again, having pretty much finished his morning prayers. "Bessidess, gambling iss a ssin, as we all know... Perhapss you should pray about your actionss, brother Alasstor..." The primary Bangaa religon, centered around Adrammelech and the ancient order of the dragon, was highly similar to catholicism, meaning a holy man such as Elliot was very opposed to that sort of thing.

"Pleasse... NOT now, Elliot... The lasst thing I need iss another one of your ssermonss." Deflecting the healer's religous philosophies yet again, Alastor slumped back down into the chair, as he had earlier stood up in disbelief when he saw the inhuman flop... "Well, I guesss I'm out of Gil for now... Yinnsss, have any ideass what kind of work we'll be doing today? Your melee sspecialisst needss cash..."

Yinns was about to respond to Alastor's mildly selfish request when the door slid open, and in walked Molly. Everyone except Alastor turned in her direction to greet her.

"Kupo! Welcome, Molly!"

"Greetingss, Molly."

"Good morning, Molly."

She smiled broadly at all of them. "Kupo! Hi everyone! Guess what I got!!" Quick as a flash, she drew a shimmering vermillion rod from her belt, twirled it expertly in front of her and planted it firmly in the floor like a quarterstaff. It was tipped with a glowing, yellow, cross-shaped gem and seemed to fill the room with an energetic feeling.

"Oh WOW!" the members of Clan Indigo expressed in their various ways. Even Alastor sat up to stare at the rod and smile.

But of all of them, it was Yinns that was the most pleased.

"Kupoooooooo!! So you're going to aim for becoming a Time Mage after all!" he exclaimed, grinning and excited. Molly nodded.

As the others resumed what they were doing, Theodore put his Gil from the Poker game away in a bag and slowly walked over to Molly to see her new Rod, as his vision was not that good. For once he actually smiled. "You like your new weapon, I see. I remember what it was like for me getting my second weapon... Such an exciting day in a young Mage's life."

"Kupo... Did you miss your first weapon?"

"I was actually glad to be rid of it," he put it bluntly.

Molly gasped. "Goodness, kupo! Not me... I have my old Rod saved in a special spot and I'm gonna save it for ever and ever!"

The wise, mysterious Nu Mou smiled again. Molly was the kind of girl that could make anyone feel happy and warm on the inside. She was so innocent, so pure... Yet in battle she was focused and could rain hell's wrath in the forms of Fire, Ice and Lightning.

"Just curious is all, but why would you save a weapon you don't bother using?" Theodore asked the chipper Moogle.

"Because I have no wish or desire to part with my dearest memories," she said with a smile.

"Ah yes. After all it was Yinns who gave you that Rod as a present for joining the clan... Very insightful. But I don't open the opportunity for myself to live in the past. I guess we'll always be different in that way."

At that moment, Yinns, who had finished his exercises, approached from behind Theodore to get their attention. "Hey, kupo... We were just discussing what we should do today. Care to join us?"

"Okay!" she immediately exclaimed. Theodore gave a chuckle and took a seat nearby to listen to the group conversation.

Yinns began to speak. "Kupo. First off, kudos to Molly for gaining her second ever weapon, after over ten months..."

Molly beamed.

"I had talked with her a few days ago about her becoming a Time Mage, kupo. I think the clan could use one, and though Theodore long qualifies for that position we all know and respect his position on the subject..."

There was no expression on Theodore's face. As usual.

"That said, as Day One of Huntmoon is coming up again, I think we should spend all of Huntmoon training for new abilities we have yet to learn, kupo." Pause. "Some of us know all the generic skills of our jobs... Elliot knows all the Bishop abilities and Theodore knows all the Black Magic spells out there, kupo, and I know all the Pandora Attacks... For those of us in that position, we could either switch jobs for a while and master a second class..."

"NEVER!!" cried Alastor enthusiastically.

"OR, let me finish... OR, engineer some of our own abilities."

There was a slight murmur from the members of Clan Indigo.

"...Iss that even posssible?" wondered Alastor.

"Kupo," Yinns replied. "I'm a Gadgeteer. Anything's possible."

Silence.

"Hey, it's been done before in the past, kupo! A little faith would be nice, yes?"

Elliot spoke up next. "Yess, but the Gadgeteer iss more verssatile in termss of free sstyle tech engineering than other jobss. Bishopss have very rigid ruless to follow."

"Not as versatile as the _Black Mage_..." Theodore added quietly, chuckling. Molly overheard him and giggled, and the two mages shared a mischievous grin, a rare sight in Theodore.

"Face it, Yinnss, we need more clan memberss. That'ss our only chance of improving our verssatality." Alastors opinion failed to surprise the Moogle leader, as he was not too fond of change.

"Well, I... kupo..."

"But you're the fearlesss leader, not I," the Bangaa added, almost mockingly.

"No, kupo, we're all in this together. But I really think we should make our own Techs too..."

"To do that, we'd need to make our own weapons," April offered, "which in turn would require special materials, like Zodiac or Mythril."

Molly spoke. "Kupo... If you need materials, you'd have to travel to other regions of Ivalice, wouldn't you?"

Yinns slowly nodded, getting lost in thought over the possibilities of new weapons.

"Or," Theodore added, "we could simply post a pub request asking for someone to deliver them, saving time and energy..."

"Kupo. Remember what happened last time we did that?"

Everyone shuddered. That wasn't a pretty memory... The delivery had arrived 10 days late and only half of the materials had made it at all because bandits had attacked the caravan on its way to Baguba. When the troupe still demanded full payment and Clan Indigo had refused to give it to them, a battle ensued and ended with Yinns in the Baguba hospital and the others with severe wounds. It was one of the only times Molly's mother really freaked out about her clan goings-on.

"Yes, but do you really think we should leave out Molly?" Theodore asked next, revealing the centerpoint of his last suggestion.

All eyes turned to Molly.

"Oh, kupo..." she said shyly... "You... You don't have to worry about me, guys."

"Are you sure?" Yinns asked with uncertainty.

"I'm positive, kupo. First off I've been really into the clan stuff as of late, and could use some time off... Second, I can take this time to train my kupo spell Thundara, as you suggested, and thirdly if I get desperate I can always work as a mercenary for another clan until you get back."

"Well, kupo..."

"It really is alright. I can't go with you, kupo. Mother would have a fit." She laughed. In reality she was sad to be left behind, but clans were clans, and they had been more than fair in the past by including them in as many activities as possible by only taking missions based in Baguba.

Everyone else smiled... What a selfless little girl she was. "Well, in that case, kupo," Yinns said, "I guess we can head on out. Get your stuff guys, kupo."


	4. Departure and Opportunity

Chapter 3 - _Departure and Opportunity

* * *

_

"How long will you be gone, kupo?" asked a hopeful Molly as Yinns, Theodore, Alastor, April and Elliot checked their things one last time at the west borders of the airship capital city.

"I wish I could tell you," Yinns replied... "It depends on factors like the weather and the people we'll meet, kupo. I feel bad about leaving you behind, though..."

"Why? It's not that I mind, you know..." This was only half true, but she wanted to make him feel better.

"Kupopo! Because you're like a sister to us! It doesn't matter how old or how young you are to us, kupo... You're a true member of Clan Indigo, and clans need to stick together. We're family."

"Oh... Thanks, Yinns. 'Cause sometimes I feel like a burden to you guys, kupo..." Times, she thought, such as this. The last thing she wanted to do was feel like she was holding her clan back... A little Moogle girl wasn't as useful as someone like Yinns, who had been of the clan for many moons, and often she did indeed feel like she was dragging the clan back.

"Hey." Theodore came over. "We found some extra supplies that'll just slow us down. We don't need all these weapons, do we?"

Yinns looked through the extra weapons, and his eyes widened. "Whoa, kupo. Molly, you could use some of these."

"Whoa, really? Oh, but I just got a new rod of my own, kupo..."

"I mean when you've mastered Thundara. Go take these to HQ will you, Molly?"

"It might be kind of heavy, but I can try..."

Molly heaved the bundle of weapons to her right shoulder, and with effort was able to support its weight. "Hurk, kupo... I got it, I got it..." she said through clenched teeth, her knees wobbling under the weight and bulk of the load...

"You're in charge of the HQ while we're gone, Molly." Yinns turned to the others. "Kupopo! Ready to go, guys?"

"You bet! Boy, I'm so excited!"

"I am ready, Yinns."

"I ssupposse..." muttering...

"May the Totema watch over uss as we travel."

"Alrighty, kupo! Clan Indigo, MOVE OUT!!"

The five of them stepped out of the city boundaries and onto the roads beyond. "Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!" called Molly, waving ferociously to her comrades. Then she realized she needed to get the weapons to Clan Indigo HQ, as they were quite heavy... a bit _too_ heavy...


	5. Black Magic, Fairy Magic

Chapter 4 - _Black Magic, Fairy Magic

* * *

_

She couldn't do it. As she passed her house, by now dragging the weapons along the ground instead of holding them up in her shoulder, she decided to store them in her room and call it good. It was her only hope. As she trudged to the door, Mom heard the commotion of metal scraping against paved rock and bolted outside to see what was the matter. Her eyes went wide.

"Goodness me, kupopo!! Molly, why in Famfrit are you dragging all those swords and rods along the ground for? You'll damage them!"

"Too... heavy... kupooooooooh..." She fell over, the weapons collapsing in a heap on her back and causing her to groan in defeat.

"Here, I'll help you," Mom told her, frettingly rushing out to pick up the clan weapons, lifting them easily to her own shoulder. "Is this for the clan?"

"Yeah, they went on a trip without me..." Molly huffed, still on the ground. "These're... pant, huff... supposed to go to the HQ, but they're... soooo heavy... _wheeeeeze_, kupo..."

"Here, g-go rest on the couch while I put these in your room... You poor dear, let me get you some water, kupo." She headed to the kitchen, caught up in a stereotypical "mom panic", as Molly rested on the couch for a while...

Molly closed her eyes. Many things crossed her mind... Mainly, when would she get to test out Thundara, and what the heck would she do to train herself at that spell while the clan was away? For that matter, when would they be back? A horrible thought entered her mind as she realized she forgot to warn them not to go in any Jagds while they were away... Surely they would not be that half-minded, but they've gone there before while they were away... Molly couldn't stand the thought of any of her friends in the clan meeting an untimely end... Eaten by Thundrakes, heads bashed in by renegade Sages, poison-frogged by Lamias in the Jagds...

Then she reminded herself she's thought these things before every time they go on a trip, and each time they've come back alive and unharmed for the most part. She sighed, trying not to think about it... But could she blame herself for caring about her friends?

She thought about what Yinns had told her about being family. It was true... she loved everyone in the clan as much as she loved her mom and dad. Was this wrong, though? Was it betraying? She'd get a second opinion.

Mom came back with the water. "Here you go, sweetie... kupo."

"Mom?" the girl asked, her breath coming back to her.

"What is it, Molly?"

"You should join the clan."

Mom sighed. "That wouldn't work out, kupo... I'm technically 'jobless', by a Judge's standards, so I couldn't fight, and once you pick a job you can't go back to jobless status... That'd be too much responsibility that I wouldn't be able to commit to, kupo, with the house to look after and all..."

"Couldn't you be our accountant or treasurer or something?"

Mom laughed and kupoed. "Why is it you want me in the clan so badly, hun?"

"It would just make sense. Clan is like family." She looked up at Mom with a concerned expression. "...Yinns taught me that, at least, kupo..."

Mom thought for a moment, and a look of sadness crossed her face. "Molly... Do you feel lonely a lot with Dad being gone?"

Molly sighed. "Yeah, kupo... Yeah I think so..."

"You 'think' so?"

"Agh... Sometimes it's hard to decide what I'm feeling... kupo..."

"I know how that feels. ...I can try to talk to him when he comes back, so he'll stay at home for a while. If you'd like that."

"Kupo... I would like that very much." She sighed again, laying back down on the couch with her eyes closed. "...Very much."

* * *

Starting the next day, Molly walked to a forested area south of Baguba known as the Koringwood, a forest famous for its magical properties. It was here she would begin her Thundara training in Yinns's absence. She made sure she had plenty of Potions and a few Hi-Potions with her, some Antidotes, Bandages, Eye Drops, even a Maiden's Kiss in case she met a Lamia.

"Let's see... Something easy to beat would be nice, kupo... Like a Goblin..."

Right on cue, the bushes around her rustled, and out stepped two Goblins.

Which were accompanied, moments later, by a Red Cap, a Sprite and a Blue Panther.

Molly looked around. She was surrounded on all sides. They looked decently low-level, but they greatly outnumbered her; running was out of the question as she was surrounded... Fear and tension grasped her, made worse by the hostile roar of the Blue Panther as it and the Goblins, Red Cap and Sprite slowly edged closer...

"D-Don't hurt me, kupo," she pleaded...

The fairy made an outstretched hand gesture for the beasts to stop their advance. She fluttered closer to Molly and spoke to her in a voice like ice cream and candy. "You tresspassed on my part of the woods, Moogle girl! You deserve to be punished!"

"I know magic! I'll fight back!" Molly exclaimed, trying to intimidate them. It worked barely; some of the monsters took a step back, growling uncertainly.

The fairy girl eyed the Moogle with her black, glossy, tear-shaped eyes, a gleam in them. "You don't look that strong..." she slowly said, but she sounded uncertain. In truth, she was, a little. _'This Black Mage is much more experienced than any of my allies...'_ she thought._ 'It won't be an easy fight, but I have to try... It's the only way we'll get stronger...'_

"Stay back!!" she cried, holding her Rod in front of her in a battle pose. A wind picked up from behind, blowing through her tunic and fur. She suddenly felt very powerful... Maybe she _could_ take them on.

"Engagement!" the fairy announced, as a Judge materialized in the corner of the clearing and signaled to begin the battle. The Panther immediately ran forward, snarling, and Molly swung, whacking it in the head. It didn't do much damage, but the dazed Panther backed up a few steps, slightly tamer.

"Careful," the Sprite warned. "You gotta work as a team!"

On that cue, the two Goblins rushed her in tandem, running forward for a physical 'bout. Molly knew from Theodore to always counter physical combat with a spell. She cast her spell, calling the name of the attack and focusing. "Thundara!" She thrust the rod forward, and the tip of it shone rays of vermillion light in all directions. A spiraling bolt of jagged lightning poured from the heavens and struck the ground right between the two charging Goblins, creating a crater and splitting into two more thunderbolts which jumped sideways to electrocute both foes. They were blown backwards; one hit a tree and slumped to the ground, KOed in one hit. The other landed on his back with half health, got up again and stayed the hell away from the Moogle mage.

Molly looked at her arms, feeling the surge of power... "How am I... that powerful, kupo?" The answer was simple-- these monsters weren't as battle-experienced as Molly was, and thus, weren't as strong. The several weaker foes against the stronger Molly was actually a pretty even fight, though the Sprite by herself was actually a good deal stronger than her allies.

The flash of lightning scared the bajeezus out of the Blue Panther, which apparently was all bark and no bite. It whined and whined, trying to get over the bright flash. The fairy flew to it and laid a hand on it's forhead...

"Fight hard, all will be well. _Angel Whisper!_"

The Panther closed his eyes, and to Molly's surprise, let out a silver tear of bliss. A white ray of light poured out of its body and engulfed it for about 6 seconds, and when it cleared, large white feathers lay around the ground as if an angel had been here.

The Panther charged at Molly, with a renewed sense of battle vigor and white fire of courage in its eyes. Molly wondered for a split second... If it feared Molly to begin with, why fight her? The answer she decided, of course, had to have been that it was solely loyal to the Sprite that just helped it... Molly suddenly realized this was more than a wild monster encounter. The Sprite and her helpers were probably a clan of their own, and she was on their territory. She was the monster here, not them. It all came to her in half a second.

She had to defend herself from the attack at least, though, but she wouldn't slay the Sprite-- she would leave her standing and probably forfeit the match, apologizing for the invasion of turf. That was later, though. Now she had some monsters to defend against.

As the Panther leapt at Molly, its outstretched claws shone green. One slice and Molly would be poisoned.

She didn't let that happen. At the last second she sidestepped and spun a quick circle, knocking the Panther in the back of the head. It grunted, then let out a roar as three glowing energy spheres were launched from its mane at Molly. This was the Panther's dreaded Blaster attack-- one hit would turn Molly to stone!

In a last-ditch attempt for defense, Molly spun the Thunder Rod in front of her like a propellor, creating an electric force field which deflected the Blaster in three random directions. The blasts dissolved before they hit anyone. Molly grinned-- she was doing amazing, her against a whole clan! Each successful attack and defense only filled her with more will to win.

Molly felt a presence behind her-- the Sprite attempted to attack her from behind with a glittering fist-jab. She spun around and thwacked the Sprite in the head with the jewel of the Rod, stopping her for a while. The Goblin was now back before she knew it, had taken an unusual offensive stance, and suddenly let loose a flurry of crude, rapid-fire punches. It was the famous Goblin Punch!

She blocked one. Two. Three hits with her Rod, but not four. The fourth punch and the rest got her square on, and the Goblin's finishing blow was so powerful it sent Molly airborne.

"Uwaaaaaaah!"

She hit the same tree the first Goblin had hit, and slumped to the ground. The enemies closed in.

With the last of her strength, Molly broke out a Hi-Potion and guzzled it. Almost instantaneous was the feeling of nourishment and health, and she was back on her feet again in no time. She stopped the monsters' advance with another spell. "Thundara!"

Another furious death-from-above assault poured out of the heavens as the thunderbolt struck right in the middle of the four remaining monsters, lighting them up like a christmas tree. The Sprite seemed to take minimal damage, while the Goblin and Panther were defeated on the spot and the Red Cap left in critical condition.

But down came that beam of light again and engulfed the Panther, and suddenly it leapt to its feet, weakened but alive nonetheless.

"Kupopo!! But... how!? I knocked it out, I swear it!" Molly gasped.

The Sprite laughed, briefly squeezing the Panther's mane. "Haha! Welcome back," she told it, and it licked the fairy's face, purring. It then turned to Molly and snarled aggressively. Immediately it pounced again while the Sprite cast a spell of some sort. Molly tried to turn to the side to dodge but the Panther caught her and pinned her to the ground, raking her over and over with those terrible claws and tearing through her tunic like paper. "Aieee!" Molly cried, trying to fight it off with her hands. She had dropped her Rod. If only she could grab it...

A bright light appeared in the sky, rapidly growing bigger... Some kind of small object was falling to earth, and Molly had an idea that it was the Sprite's Meteorite spell. At this rate it would hit her dead on and finish her off.

The Panther reared its paw up for another slash. Seeing the opening in its attack, Molly rolled out of the Panther's reach, and it changed its form offense, pouncing at her again instead. She rolled under its legs, grabbed her dropped Rod and jumped back as the Panther pounced at her yet again, this time with a roar. Perfect timing. The Meteorite hit the mark and crushed the Panther in a firey explosion of stardust. The dust cleared, and it was KOed, with no Auto-Life spell to save it this time. The fairy girl cried out in dismay.

"Thundara, kupo!!"

Nothing could stop Molly now. The heat of battle envigorated her. She cast her final spell to end the battle, pouring all her heart and soul into the Rod which crackled with energy before calling two awesome thunderbolts from the sky. Each one struck a target, KOing the groaning Red Cap and bringing the Sprite to low HP. She knelt, no longer having the strength to hover, and looked up at the amazing young Moogle mage, panting, wilting like a dying tree.

"So much power... I'm at a loss..."

Molly felt invincible. "It ain't over until one of us is down for good, kupo!"

"F-Fine! I'll show you!" But she sounded desperate.

The fairy held a hand in the air, and a silver glittery wind suddenly picked up, blowing Molly back. As the wind blew, Molly saw the fairy's scorch wounds close up as she gained back her ability to hover. The wind died, and the Sprite cast Meteorite again with the same hand motion as earlier.

"Alright, kupo... Thundara!"

Molly held the Thunder Rod up high again and called a lightning bolt of death out of the sky, but this time the Sprite turned sideways and darted backwards, dodging barely. She then zipped forward for a frontal assult on Molly. Molly stopped her attack by thwacking her with the Rod, which hit perfectly.

Then she realized she had forgotten about Meteorite. Death from above rained down on her, crushing down on her in an explosion of cosmic energy. The Sprite stood back and laughed in a combination of triumph and relief. "Haha! Gotcha!"

The dust cleared, and a battered Moogle stood at a kneel position, her clothes tattered, the Thunder Rod held in front of her for support. She whipped out a Hi-Potion and drank it, and got to her feet. "This is getting old, kupo..."

The Sprite couldn't believe it. "No fair! No fair at all! Every time I attack you you recover!"

"Well I had a good clan to teach me, kupo." But Molly tried to hide the fact that even with the Hi-Potions helping her, she was getting to be exhausted. She wasn't sure if she could pull off another Thundara... "Besides, you can recover too, kupo. I watched you."

"What, White Wind? That's no good in a one-on-one fight, girl... Look, I give up already, just leave my friends alone!"

But Molly was determined to actually win. "Sorry, fairy girl, I'm in this for training! Fire!!"

Using her hands this time rather than the wand, she made a circular motion with her right hand as three fireballs appeared around it, grew in size, and flung themselves towards the defenseless fairy, each one whistling and blazing vibrantly before slamming into the target in a burst of flame, igniting the Sprite. It screeched, blown to the ground by waves of intolerable pain.

"Aieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!"

Suddenly, Molly realized just how far she had gone. Was this her? Would Molly torture a forest fairy like this? Would Molly intrude on another clan's base just to train her skills? How long had she been like this without realizing it? Is this the Molly the clan felt so "close" to? What if--

She shook thoughts like that out of her head. She had to focus on saving the flaming fairy. "Don't panic! Let me help you, kupo!"

But what resources did she have for putting out fire?

Ice.

"Blizzard!" she cried, waving her hand which glowed blue... Frozen energy began to swirl around the Sprite, as a glacier chunk formed around her for a few seconds. It quickly melted, as the Sprite's body was hot with fire, but the fire had been put out. The Sprite lay on the ground, blackened and smoldering, choking on dust.

Molly ran up to the defeated Sprite, tears in her eyes. "I'm s-sorry, kupo... I didn't mean to get so violent... I don't know what came over me..."

The Sprite turned her head and smiled weakly. "It's alright, Moogle. I... I guess it was fun..."

"But... you're so hurt..."

"It's nothing permenant though..." She went into a coughing spasm, and Molly thought she was going to die. She knelt down and hugged the fairy girl as hard as she could. "Please, kupo... Stay alive..."

The fairy let out a laugh. "I will. Fairies... don't die... You should... head home... I'll be fine again tomorrow." The fairy broke away from her, and with one final parting squeeze of Molly's hand, she shimmered for a moment, then became dust, melting into the earth. There was no sign a battle had taken place in this forest, and the Judge was gone.

Molly wiped the sweat and tears from her face. "Kupo... I'm sorry..." She would never let herself become like this again.


	6. Molly Learns Blizzaga

Chapter 5 - _Molly Learns Blizzaga

* * *

_

Molly had gone back to the fairy's hideout in the woods the next day to check on her, and sure enough, she was good as new, and almost seemed to expect her arrival. They sat by a brook and talked for a long time that day, ending it with a practice sparring match with another Judge nearby. It might've been her imagination, but Molly could have sworn the Sprite had become stronger than their encounter yesterday.

Molly came back the next day, and the next, making her visit to the woods a routine part of her schedule. She made sure to practice in a friendly 1 on 1 engagement every day with the Sprite, making them both stronger and increasing Molly's aptitude with Thundara. They became fast friends.

"What's your name anyway, kupo?" Molly had asked on her first return visit with the Sprite.

"Clivia. What's yours?"

"Molly," Molly said with a smile.

"That's a nice Moogle name."

"That's a nice fairy name."

Smiles from both of them. Clivia's smile was usually a mysterious one, though... The fairy would prove to be a good friend to have.

In 12 days Molly had mastered Thundara and could cast it without the need of a rod. She showed Clivia, who was delighted. She showed Mom, who was a little shocked (thankfully not literally), but delighted as well.

"Molly, you know how I feel about you casting magic so close to the house, kupo..."

"Oh. Sorry... kupo. But you know I'm careful enough not to hit anyone or anything accidentally..." she said with a laugh. "Now I need another new weapon..."

Molly had taken the bundle of weapons, over three trips, to the Clan HQ as was originally requested. She hadn't taken time to individually go over each one, but she needed a new weapon for a new spell to master, so now was the time. She would impress everyone in the clan with her Time Mage status when they got back... She could just imagine the looks on their faces, especially Yinns. _This was going to be so worth it!_

Speaking of them... It had been 12 days and there was no sign of them returning. Sure, they may have had to go to the other side of the country, which takes a long time, but she couldn't blame herself for worrying every so often... If Dad could go all around Ivalice and come home safely, so could Clan Indigo. They were tough and knew their stuff.

"Let's see what we have here, kupo..." she mused, going through the weapons. "Gae Bolg... Why do we even _have_ a kupo Gae Bolg? Hmm... Predator... Ah, Alastor would love that... Spring Staff, not my style, kupo... Survivor? Must be Yinns's. Ah, HERE we go!"

Molly pulled up a thick, blue rod with a huge sapphire globe at the tip. The Rod was as tall as her! And holding the rod was like firmly grasping a refrigerated metal bar. It was very cold, even with the fur on Molly's hands.

"Is this a Sleet Rod, kupo? It looks pretty powerful... Maybe too powerful to be a Sleet Rod..." It dawned on her. "Chill Rod!? Oh my... Kupokupo!! I am not worthy, Famfrit! Have mercy!" She regained her composure after a bit, sat on the wood floor of the treehouse and closed her eyes. "I can't learn Blizzaga... Not yet... I need to start out with something smaller, kupo."

And as she finished looking through the rest of the weapons, all she found was a spiral-crafted Rod tipped with an ornate star, which glowed when she gripped the Rod. She knew it was a weapon with no relationship whatsoever to Black Mages and could not teach her a new ability. Time Mages, on the other hand, could use this Rod to learn the space-time-distorting spell Demi.

And she looked forward to that day. But it would have to wait.

So, with no Black Mage Rods besides the powerful, dangerous Chill Rod at her disposal, she had no choice but to make Blizzaga her fifth and final Black Mage attack before upgrading. That day she took the rod to the forests to practice with Clivia, and to Molly's dismay Clivia wasn't in the mood.

"Sorry, Molly... I don't have any energy today..."

"Oh, kupo..."

"It's because Bardmoon is coming up. I never have any energy during Bardmoon."

"That can't feel good, kupo."

"Sorry... I know you want to test out your new spell..." She glanced at Molly, smiling one of her faint, mysterious smiles. "You Moogles and humans have a Pub, though, so your adventures are always a door and a drink away. We wilderness clans never get to go on adventures..."

"What about Clan Hounds?"

She stared at Molly, flabbergasted. "Eep! They're not wilderness, they're tortured!"

"Ooh, sorry, didn't know it was such a kupo subject..."

"It is."

* * *

For the whole of Bardmoon, Molly devoted her work to the missions at the pub. It was also the first time she had truly left the city of Baguba on her own, which her mom wasn't terribly thrilled about but she was allowed to go anyway. Her first mission...

"You answered my mission request about the Toughskin in my house?"

"Uh-huh!"

"YOU? But, but... you're a little girl!"

"I know," she said with a smile. "Do you want my help, kupo?"

"Well, you ARE a Black Mage... Katanas can't do anything against a Toughskin, so... Here. I'll stun it with Wood Veil so you can get in a clear shot."

They burst into the house. "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarg!!" the Ninja cried.

Molly cringed. "Wh... What was _that_ for, kupopo??"

"Battle cry." The Ninja held up two fingers and winked. "Kewl, ain't it?"

They looked around. The beastie was nowhere to be found.

"Good going, kupo, you scared it off," Molly joked.

"Hmm, that's strange, I was sure it's-- AAH!" Suddenly it fell through the ceiling from the attic and, without skipping a beat, charged at them. The Ninja tried to sidestep but tripped and dropped his Kotetsu-model katana, which the Toughskin quickly gobbled up with Munch.

"_You BASTARD, do you know how much Gil that weapon cost me!??!!?_"

Molly was beyond wasting time and breath, however. She grinned as power flowed into her, preparing her ultimate spell of cryotic destruction. "Blizzaga!"

Frozen energy swirled around the room as the globe on the Chill Rod flared with silver-blue light. The annonymous Ninja grabbed his face in horror as a glacier formed inside his house, crushing the Toughskin... and pretty much everything else. Molly's work was done.

"Well, that was easy, kupo... Wait, what's with that look? ...Oh yeah... You live here, don't you..." Molly cupped her mouth in horror as she stared at the huge mound of rubble that had been a house moments ago.

"Not... Not anymore I don't... whimper"

Molly felt sheepish. "Oh my goodness... I am sooooooo sorry..."

"It's not the first time this has happened, and you're only what, twelve?"

"Ten..." Molly started cry in shame. "Kupooooooooh..."

"Hey! HEY!" The Ninja snapped his gloved fingers, getting her attention. "I can't stand to see a Moogle cry, so don't even think about it!"

"But... your house..."

"The house is fine, girl. The plumbing sucked anyway. Here's your reward money." He handed her a bag of Gil.

"I can't accept this, kupo!" she exclaimed. "Did you SEE what I did to your house!?"

"Hey, I'll just get a new one. Or live in a waterfall cave." He grinned. "I'm a Ninja, after all... Or would that be too cliche'd? ...Anyway, it really is fine. Just... be careful about that spell in the future, okay? We don't want this to happen to a less forgiving individual, say, a Viera Fencer... Heh heh..." He chuckled at the mental image.

"Oh alright, kupo..." Molly took the bag of money and started to head off. "Thanks so much! I'm still new at this and stuff, kupo."

"Yeah, I figured."

* * *

"You here to fill in for Steel?"

"Yes sirree, kupo! The notice said you'd brief me when I got here, so... I'm all ears, kupo!" This was a combat mission, something Molly could cast Blizzagra in and feel good about it.

"Well, the Bloodthirsters have declared war on us and are fighting us on our home turf. Nothing special, just a normal engagement, but they have some Vampires, and you look pretty young, so watch out."

"Vampires!?"

"Yeah. We'll have Ricardo over here use Exorcise to take them out first." Ricardo, the Bangaa White Monk, saluted, and Molly waved. "They're not so bad. It's that Masterberry that you need to watch out for."

"...Masterberries AND Vampires. Well, just kupo."

"Oh, why look, here they come."

"What!?"

Suddenly a wave of swirling purple gas erupted in the middle of the gathering, blowing them all down. The clan leader recognized it as Miasma. Molly and several of the others in the clan started choking while struggling to get to their feet. Two Vampires emerged from nowhere and all hell broke loose. A Gladiator started hacking away at one of them while two Assassins started dueling each-other. Two Archers rained arrows on a group of Floateyes and Ahrimans, who in turn chased an Animist all over the clearing. Everything was chaos and Molly had no way to tell who was the good guy and who was the bad guy.

_Until..._

All other noise amidst the chaos dimmed out as Molly heard the footsteps of death.

She looked ahead. Two glowing yellow eyes of a hooded figure gleamed at her. The hooded figure held a bloody, diamond-shaped knife and an eerie lantern.

Molly's eyes widened in sheer terror. "It's the Tonberry of DOOOOM! Aieeeeeeeeeee, kupopo!!" She gripped her Rod bravely... "O-Okay, Molly, control yourself, kupo... Here goes... Blizzaga!"

Frozen energy poured out of the Chill Rod when she thrust it at the slowly advancing death-on-two-feet, and a mountainous glacier erupted underneath it, appearing to destroy it in one hit. Molly cheered. "Yaaaaaaaah, take THAT!"

But the hooded nightmare faded back into being from the shadows, continuing its advance without any scratches on its body.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaugh!" Molly screamed. "Blizzaga again, kupo!!"

She poured all her energy into this attack, creating an even bigger glacier to erupt around it. But one slice of the Masterberry's Knife shattered it and the fiend kept trudging closer. It was nearly right on top of Molly now, knife poised in front of it...

"D-Don't hurt meeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!"

Then came the most evil, penetrating sound effect Molly would ever hear.

_Doink._

The knife tapped Molly in the center of her chest, and the most overwhelming storm of pain the Moogle ever felt shot through every miniscule fiber of her body. "AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..." She collapsed to the ground, shaking in pain, her vision blurred and her nerves throbbing. The Masterberry stared down at her, as if saying "Oooooooookay..." They always looked like that to her, but either way it didn't matter as she couldn't see how he looked anymore.

"Cura!"

A Nu Mou in a white robe swirled his Staff in a circle nearby, as a silver glow of holy light lit up above Molly's head, shining rays of light down into the suffering girl's body. She felt her nerves relax, and the pain begin to ease to a level where she could stand up. "Haahh... Th-thanks, kupo... Thundara!" she called, summoning the lightning bolts to finish off the Masterberry. They struck him, lighting him up, and the creature fell to the ground, KOed and sizzling.

"You watch yourself," the White Mage warned Molly before going off to heal another ally.

Molly caught her breath after the incident. "Whoa, kupo... Engagements can be dangerous..."

* * *

"You here to attend the meeting, kupo?" asked the Mog Knight at the door. Luckily this mission took place in Baguba, so Molly didn't have to travel anywhere this time.

"You betcha, kupo!" Molly replied, chipper as ever. She eyed the Icebrand in the other Moogle's belt. "WOW! Nice weapon, kupopo! That's a _huuuuuge_ sword!"

"Thanks! I like your Chill Rod too, kupo!" The boy Moogle, about as old as her, grinned at getting a nice compliment from a nice Moogle girl. He felt they could be good friends in time.

"Thanks! Wow, kupo, I bet you've defeated countless opponents with that thing, eh?" Molly responded.

There went any chance of friendship. Molly got a bitter, heavily offended look from the Mog Knight. She stepped back, uneasily. "Whoa, wha'd I say?"

"Don't even joke about that, kupo. Go on in." And that ended the conversation.

She went on in, still wondering what she had done wrong, and took a seat at a round table with about 10 other people of various races and jobs.

"Alrighty," a human Illusionist said, "This meeting of Ivalice Pacifists United shall now come to order. Darla, would you please read the minutes of last moon's meeting?"

"Wait a minute... Pacifists?" Molly questioned, slightly stunned. No wonder he had reacted. This wasn't in the mission description...

"Err, yes... We are strong believers against fighting, violence, the Clan Wars and engagements of any kind. That's... why you're here, isn't it?"

"Well, I... Kupo, I never really liked violence, that's true..."

"Amen!"

"Here here!"

"Praisse Adrammelech!"

"Praaaaaaaise MATEUS! WOO!!"

"Buuuuuuut, kupo, I am a firm believer in the Clan Wars and all forms of engagement. As long as there is a Judge handy. ...Kupo."

She grinned at the stunned and flabbergasted group, but as she noticed their wide-eyed maw-bearing expressions, her grin turned to a frown of uncertainty. "What?"

"You infidel!"

"STONE HER!!"

"Death to misguided Moogle girls!"

"YAR, feed that girl to a Malboro!"

They all stood up, brandishing their weapons. Molly fell out of her seat and scrambled to her feet. "W-Wait, kupopo, you said you were pacifists!!"

A Viera Summoner spoke. "We are. But Fido isn't. Come here Fido!" She blew a whistle, and a Red Panther came ripping down the stairs in the manor they were in, snapping and snarling and making one hell of a commotion. Molly's eyes practically jumped out of her skull as she about-faced and hightailed it.

"Pacifists are _dangerous_, kupo..." was her final thought on the matter.

* * *

Molly lay in bed, remembering all the wonderful experiences, both good and bad, she'd had in the days of Bardmoon... They all paid off.

"Tomorrow," she whispered to herself, nodding off, "I'm going to become a Time Mage."

She fell asleep, warm and smiling.


	7. The Storm and a Huntress

Chapter 6 - _The Storm and a Huntress_

No Illusionist in the world could match the fury of the storm over Sierra Gorge during Bardmoon this calendar, no matter how big or how bright his Thunder Rod happened to be.

"Told you we sshould've taken the three-day detour!" Alastor called to Yinns over the screaming winds and furious downpour, feeling betrayed by his leader.

"Kupopo! What's life without adventure?" the Moogle called back, enjoying every bit of this storm. He hadn't felt this alive since his days as a pilot.

Theodore. "But Yinns, don't forget about Molly back at home; we can't be gone too long or she'll lose it..."

"That's why we took the shortcut through the storm, kupo!"

Alastor again. "But... the sstorm will jusst sslow uss down!"

Elliot cast Cura on the party again, who had been damaged from the storm's relentless power and fury as they traveled. "Urgh, thiss sstorm iss too much. Yinnss, we need to find a sshelter or we're fodder for thiss weather."

"I'm with you there, kupo! But there's nothing in sight-- no cave, no clearing, and the rain is too strong to make a campfire!"

April, who had been in the rear of the troupe, hurried up to Yinns's side. "I'll scout ahead if you'd like," she eagerly offered. She was very good at scouting, as she was a Viera and sported a teenage sense of adventure and love of exploration on top of that.

"Yes please, kupo! See if you can find us a shelter."

She lithely sprinted ahead of the group, and upon using Conceal was out of the party's sight. Theodore came to Yinns's side again. "Do you really think it was wise to send her out alone?"

"I think she'll be fine, kupo. She's wearing an Angel Ring I gave her before we got here, as I thought she would be doing some scouting."

"If you say so..."

The ground in front of them exploded in a ball of frozen energy.

The group, now alert, got close together and drew their weapons. The ground next to them erupted into icicle spikes. There was a wet slobbery sound from the ridge above them as veiled, roundly-shaped objects appeared, hurling (literally hurling) frozen balls of energy at the troupe.

"Flans!" Theodore exclaimed. "I got this one, clan. Fira!"

Theodore thrust a palm forward up at the ridge, and energy gathered at his hands before a huge stream of fire poured out of it. He swept the stream along the ridge top, destroying each Flan in a row like sweeping a hand across a line of dominoes. But when his spell ended, the defeated Flans were simply replaced by more, which had come from a cave, keeping the assault against Clan Indigo at full throttle.

He turned to Yinns. "I could keep going, but they will only reappear. We must make a run for it!"

"Yes, kupo, runnnnn!" They began to run, but they also started taking hits. Elliot mustered up Cura again, but this couldn't last forever. Yinns, in one last attempt to save the clan, pulled out an ornate purple box from his backpack...

Alastor glanced at what he was about to do and tried to stop him, but he was too late. "Initiate Pandora Tech: Red Spring! Kupo!" The box opened and a holographic projection lit the area up. It was a two-sided coin, spinning between a sun on one side and a crescent moon on the other...

"You fool, Yinnss! Now look what you've done!" Alastor exclaimed, still running.

The coin spun.

"It's our only chance, kupo!"

The coin spun.

"Yinnss, I'm out of mana!" Elliot called as they ran from the Flan assault.

The coin spun. And it began to slow down...

Everyone prayed, especially Yinns. "Pleeeeeeeeeease, Famfrit, guide my Pandora Coin to its rightful fate... Kupo..."

Spinning... slowing... slowing...

"Hey guys! I found a shelter!" It was April; she had innocently returned from her scouting ahead, just happening to do so at an inconvenient time. Everyone snapped their heads to April's direction, forgetting momentarily about the forboding coin...

And a moment was all it took. Suddenly the bombardment doubled in speed. The coin had gone "moon" on their arses, bestowing "Haste" on every opponent in sight. And that was a _lot_ of opponents.

Yinns now had two reasons to run. The clan drew their weapons. "MUTINY!!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah, kupo!"

They chased after the ill-fated Moogle leader with blood on their mind, dodging Flan attacks in split-second swerve maneuvers. The adrenaline level was high that night. April was left in the dust, so she began to chase after them. "Wait for meeeee!" she called, "I know where there's a house we can rest in!"

* * *

The five of them stood in the darkest log cabin they had ever been in, sopping wet and absolutely exhausted, except for April. There was only one window, and the cabin occasionally lit up white when the lightning outside flashed. The five of them took a moment to catch their breaths... _then_ the fighting started.

"Yinnss, you _idiot!_" Alastor was less than pleased.

"Kupo... Sorry about that... Pandora Techs _can_ go wrong, as we all know..."

"Wrong? How about 'completely haywire'?"

"Look, kupo, we made it out alive, didn't we!?"

Theodore. "Yes. No use pointing fingers now. I actually enjoyed that kind of thrill. But how I'd like to go back and blast every one of those Flans with my Mom's secret technique..." He growled at the thought of the flans. How he hated them so...

April. "This is interesting. This log cabin is perfectly clean... The bed is made, the stove is clean, the books aren't lying everywhere..." She could see in the darkness fairly well, and though the night sky and the moonlight was all that was lighting up the room, the others had adjusted to the darkness fairly well and could at least make out their surroundings.

"That bed looks too big for me, kupo. I guess I'll sleep on the floor..."

"Wow, quite a nicce dissplay of weaponss this man hass here..."

The thunder outside crackled, shutting everyone up for a while. It was about two minutes of silence... everyone just sat near the door, close together as possible, trying to keep warm and not to think about the storm.

After a while they got up and started unpacking their things, against their better judgement. After all, they had no idea whose house this was...

April looked out the window worriedly. "Gee, I sure hope whoever's house this is doesn't mind us crashing at his place uninvited..."

Right on cue, the door burst open, and in the doorway stood a tall, cloaked figure holding a knife and a lantern. Lightning crackled at the same time, scaring everyone in the room senseless.

"AAAH TONBERRY!!!" everyone cried, scrambling to their feet and trying to find their weapons.

"What in the--!?" the Tonberry stammered, not used to seeing five total strangers in her home as she arrived there. She threw back her hood, revealing her long, fire red hair. It was a female human, maybe in her early 20s. She held up her lantern to light the room. "Who the hell are you little shits!?"

Yinns sighed in relief. "Whew, not a Tonberry, kupo. Sorry for the mix up... We were attacked by an army of Flans and my Red Spring decided to go rouge on us..."

Alastor muttered something under his breath.

"...So we needed a place to seek shelter from the storm for tonight, as we're all quite tired, kupo..."

The human girl lowered her lantern and knife. "Very well. Call me Mickey, now what're your names?" She spoke quickly and frankly.

"Kupo, I'm Yinns, this is Alastor, Elliot, Theodore, April," he said, waving his hand towards each clansman, who in turn waved a hand to Mickey in greeting. Meanwhile, Mickey sat on her bed and began to take off her boots and cloak. They were sopping wet. Mickey wore black velvet underneath her cloak, complete with a utility belt with three knife-sheaths of different sizes, and two studded leather armbands. There was a quiver and unique Greatbow strung to her back; the Bow had a slot of its own and the quiver was strapped on with a black leather belt from Mickey's right shoulder to the left side of her waist.

"I don't blame you for breaking into my house," she blantantly told them while she did her thing. "This storm is enough to kill someone who's unprepared, and even a few that are. Now you say that _flans_ were attacking you? That was on that ridge over there, right?" She waved a hand to her left.

Yinns nodded. "Yeah, kupo. And they kept coming and coming."

"Waterfall ridge. Yeah, they don't like intrusions. Worthless flans, they're not even worth the energy... You guys hungry?"

Several voices picked up in unison.

"Okay, chill out and I'll cook you a Panther." She left the room. Yinns blinked. Panther?

"I wonder what she meant, kupo..."

"I have a meat cellar, furball," she called from the other room. "And a fire pit. Come down and join me if you're eating."

Five hungry bodies went to join her.

* * *

"Mmmmm, thiss iss _perfect!_" Alastor declared after tasting the meat. "Cooked without fault! You musst do thiss a lot, Mickey."

She nodded, taking a big, juicy bite into her steak. The six of them were seated around a fire pit in a chamber under her house. The smoke rose through a grate in the ceiling which led outside behind the house, and only a little bit of the rain could fall through the grate, even in pouring weather, as it was mostly concealed by a bush from the outside.

"Yes, it's good," Mickey said with her mouth full. She was a bit of a tomboy, it seemed, and occasionally a bit of a sailor in terms of language. It wouldn't surprise Yinns or any of his clan if she had fought in a war once, but she hadn't; her temper was just naturally as firey as her long, firey red hair. "When you live miles from civilization you pick up a few skills. Only thing I'm missing is to be able to shoot guns, but we all know how that works in this backwards country."

"Thiss country'ss not THAT backwardss..."

"Pfuh. Typical Bangaa response."

Alastor said nothing, though he had a good comeback he would've liked to use. But Mickey was honoring them by letting them crash at her place... He decided to be polite, and it took willpower.

Yinns carefully took a bite into his Panther steak. "So Mickey, what were you all dressed up as a Tonberry for, kupo?"

"Eh, the disguise helps keep unwanted people off my mountain and away from my meals."

"So... you were scaring people off?" Theodore asked.

"Worked on me," April muttered.

"Could say that. Poachers, more like. Sierra Gorge is famous for some of the healthiest Panthers in Ivalice, and some chicken bastards think they can come and kill 'em all off for fur."

"Kupo... I thought Kudik Peaks had the healthiest Panthers."

"No, they just have the _rarest_ Panthers. Again, blame the poaching bastards."

Silence, and a few nods.

"So... Not only do I hunt the food, I hunt the hunters. You know them Tonberries... People fear 'em, including those damn poachers... Some sonofabitch Tonberry got into my house while I was sleepin' one night and thought it could help itself to some rations in the back. 'Course, I sleep lightly, so that oversized hooded lizard met an untimely demise." She grinned, causing everyone to shudder. "Also it's fun trudging up to someone from behind and giving 'em the knife right as they turn around. Love the sound that makes... Doink! S'like they turn around and... Doink! Never knew what hit 'em, the bastards. Where exactly are you greenhorns headed?"

"We think Sprohm, kupo. It's a mountian town and we hope to purchase some rare minerals there. I've been into the inventor thing recently and am trying to come up with some new weapon designs, kupo..."

"Not bad. Care if I join you?"

The responses were enthusiastic, to say the least. Everyone around the fire pit was pleased at this news.

"JUST until we pass by Sierra Gorge on our return trip," she cautioned. "The whole protecting the mountain thing is pissing me off these days... Damn hunters don't know when to take a clue. Depresses me, actually... 'Sides, you guys are dead without my help, from what I've seen. If you can't handle a storm like this you can't handle a trip to Sprohm, end of story. This'll be a good experience for me."

"Me too!" April chimed. "Now I'm not the only girl in the group!"

"Whoa, lady, I don't swing that way," Mickey warned. Everyone laughed hysterically.

"Well, kupo, we'll be honored to have you for the trip. I think we'll make a brief stop at Cadoan to pick up some Chocobos though, as this walking on foot has taken a while so far, kupo."

"I'll take a Panther ride over an oversized sack of feathers any day."

"HEY. Watch what you're saying about Chocobos," April warned playfully. The group had another good laugh.

"Heyyy, I'm serious," Mickey continued. "I'll just catch a Panther tomorrow morning before we go. They do what I say when I use my special touch."

Alastor smiled at the sound of that. Mickey would be a good addition to the group, foul mouthed as she was. Perhaps she had a point, too... Clan Indigo wasn't used to traveling long distances. Once they got to Cadoan it was time to stock up. No more letting their guard down.


	8. Prisoner to Justice

Chapter 7 - _Prisoner to Justice

* * *

_

"Why, hello there Molly! Kupopo! What can I do for you?" said the Moogle lady at the Grand General Store of Baguba lovingly to Molly, delighted to see her as always.

Molly gave her a small white card with a stamp on it. "I'm exchanging this, kupo."

"Job change, kupo?"

Molly nodded. The shopkeeper pulled out some records from behind the counter and looked them over...

"Hmm... Your choices are Animist, Thief and, with your five Black Mage skills mastered, Time Mage is now available, kupo."

Molly smiled. "Gonna have to go with Time Mage."

The shopkeeper stamped it and handed it back to her. "Job change complete, kupo! Congratulations on achieving one of the Expert Jobs!"

"Thank you, kupo!"

The shopkeeper handed her something. Molly looked at it, and her eyes went wide. "Oh my goodness! Kupokupo! What is this!?" It was a large, oval-shaped emerald gem-- though just for show, it was certainly beautiful.

"Just a decoration for your tunic, kupo. You fasten it right... there. Oh yeah, here's this too." She handed Molly a silver Chocobo feather, which Molly carefully tucked behind her right ear. "That's better!" she laughed. "A good Mage is always equipped with good accessories, kupo."

"Wow, thank you so much, kupopo!" Molly exclaimed. "Gotta go now, need to start mastering the Time Magic spells! Byeee!" She was off in a flash.

* * *

"Here you are, kupo... the Stardust Rod."

Molly was at the treehouse, staring down at the cosmic Rod before her. The one that would grant her Demi. She slowly reached down to grip it, and as she did the star-shaped jewel at the tip flared in polychromatic light. She closed her eyes and let the energy of the Rod flow through every molecule of her body, reveling in the feeling.

"Wow, kupo... I'm a Time Mage. Wow. Boyyyy, Yinns is going to be _thrilled_, kupo!"

Molly had promised Clivia she would visit her as soon as she gained her Time Mage powers, so she began to head there. The path through Koringwood was familiar enough to her now where she didn't have to think about which path to take. It was a magical forest, in a literal sense, and being a mage she could feel the energy rush whenever she closed her eyes and focused. She was quite grateful to be able to live in a city so close to the Koringwood.

Clivia was in her usual spot, and the two had a nice chat as usual. Molly loved having her as a friend, especially since it was a lot of the time rare for urban-dwelling folk to connect with those living in the wilderness, such as fairies, Flans, Panthers, Antlions, etcetera. But it was possible in some instances, probably more with Moogles and Vieras than others, as Vieras had a special connection with nature whereas Moogles were, for a long time, even themselves considered to be wilderness-dwelling, and in some places still were, though nowhere in Ivalice would you find one of those kinds of Moogles.

"Well, I better be getting back now, kupo," Molly said after they had had a long conversation. "I need to start learning how to use Demi."

Clivia smirked and closed her eyes, showing off that mysterious thoughtfulness that always captivated Molly so. "What's on your mind?" Molly wondered.

"I was thinking of a little fairy mischief... Wanna come?"

"Uh oh, kupo." Molly wondered what Clivia could be getting at, as she knew the fairy girl, while usually mellow, really played naughty when it came to "mischief" as she put it.

"Oh, it's nothing big... Just thinking of sending my clan the Tricky Spirits to raid the Antlions Clan in the Elutt Desert south of here. For no real reason other than a good time." She smiled that mysterious smile. "But if you don't want to come, I understand..."

"Are you kidding? Kupopo! This would be the _perfect_ opportunity for me to get used to Demi! I'm in!"

"Wonderful! Here, follow me and I'll take you to the meeting grounds," she replied happily, getting to her feet and taking off just fast enough for Molly to keep up. The two made their way through thick overgrowth well off the beaten path for about three minutes. Molly began to have second thoughts about what she may be getting herself into, but she trusted Clivia dearly and proceded to follow her the whole time.

The two of them emerged in a small forest clearing with a shrine at the far end-- the shrine was overgrown with vines and rotted halfway to nothing, but one could still go inside to see the dusty altar. On either side of the shrine were two statues of a Chocobo, and being in its presence Molly felt a thuroughly more powerful magical aura in the air than in the normal part of the woods. Gathered around in front of the shrine were various wilderness-dwellers in various leisurely positions-- the Blue Panther she had fought many days ago, two Goblins, two Red Caps and a Cream Flan. They turned to face Molly as she entered the meeting grounds, and the Blue Panther slowly got up, walked to Molly and licked her face, purring softly.

"Ack, hi there, kupo! Nice to see you too." She pet the beast's head.

"Friends, this is Molly," Clivia said to the clan, then again in an odd tounge Molly couldn't understand. The Goblins and Red Caps greeted Molly in the same tounge, and Molly assumed it was the native Goblin language in Ivalice.

"Molly taste good, blargg?" asked the Cream in an accent that sounded like a baritone version of scraping chalkboard. Molly yelped and drew her weapon.

"No no no!" Clivia quickly came to her rescue, "Molly isn't food! She's a friend of mine and visiting the Clan for a while. Now say you're sorry, Kreppl!"

"Kreppl sorry, blargg. Molly not food."

Molly laughed a little uneasily. "Kupo, it's alright... Hey Clivia, aren't there more of you?"

"Yes, but they're on Dispatch Missions."

"Kupopo! I didn't think you had _those!_"

"Of course. The wilderness-dwellers have Clan Wars of their own to worry about." She turned to the clan. "That said, we're attacking the Antlions Clan today." She translated for the goblins.

There was a small cacophony while the monsters all expressed their surprise in their own ways.

"Antlion clan outnumber Kreppl clan, blargg. But still not afraid."

"Yeah, that's okay though... We're just out to cause a little mischief."

* * *

Molly, Clivia and the Tricky Spirits made their preperations and left the Koringwood to the south. The road to Elutt Sands was only 25 minutes long yet pretty and scenic. For a while, Molly felt out of place traveling amidst a clan of monsters, so she struck up a conversation with Kreppl at first and then with Clivia, learning about the Tricky Spirits and its history during the trip. The clan used to be led by a Titania years ago, which was Clivia's mentor, but she left to join the human world and marry a human Mage after a crisis happened in the clan. There were also three other Sprites in the clan but they were out on missions.

This wasn't the first time urban and wild clanners traveled as one, Molly reminded herself. There had once been a report of a Moogle Juggler aiding some Zombies and Sprites on a raid against passing clans... It had worked for a while, before a famous, yellow-haired boy took his clan into battle with them, teaming up with the nearby red-haired girl and her Viera ally, and took them out with extreme prejudice. That was years ago, though, before the disappearance of the Prince and the five crystals, a time when Molly hadn't even been born. Molly just knew these things by the rumors and legends in circulation among clanners, courtesy of the Pubs. It was the life.

They reached the desert, and soon Clivia led the clan off the beaten path and trudging through the sands. "They're close by," she explained, then Goblin-translated. "We've come this way before."

Two minutes later, the sand before them burst open, and the Tricky Spirits jumped back as many creatures emerged from it, while others came out from behind the rocks and a Judge appeared. The group faced FOUR Antlions, their cousin the Jawbreaker, a Toughskin in the rear and a Bomb beside it. The Jawbreaker made a series of clicks and buzzes, which Clivia translated.

"He says 'Leave us alone or we will be forced to painfully repel you'." She grinned. "Ha! Let 'em try! Here we go!"

The Judge spoke. "Laws today forbid item usage and healing of any sort. Infractions of the Healing Rule will result in a Red Card. If either Clan Leader is KOed, victory belongs to the opposition. Let's begin the engagement!"

Molly bit her lip. "No items, kupo... Must remember that."

Battle commenced! The four Antlions came forward in unison, but Clivia was on it already. "Watch THIS. D-Holy Attack!"

She lifted her arms way up high, her black, glossy eyes shimmering blue as the spell was cast. Suddenly, white light brighter than the sun erupted out of three of the Antlions and the Bomb in the back, frying them with the purest of energies that could exist. The unfortunate targets all fainted on the spot after the attack finished, KOed and eliminated. Molly was thrilled.

"Wowwwwwwww, kupokupo! Do that again! That was fantastic!"

The Sprite shook her head. "Can't use it again... It won't hit anybody."

"Oh."

The fourth Antlion was in the fray, alive and kicking, however. It approached the two Goblins and brewed up its signature attack, Sandstorm, throwing them on their backs. One of them was blinded by the attack and began flailing around frantically, trying to grab onto something. The Antlion took advantage of that, crawled up behind him and sliced him in the back with his pincers.

"Stay away from my friends, kupo! Demi!"

Molly thrust her Stardust Rod towards the Antlion, and the star-shaped tip of the Rod flashed all the colors of the rainbow as a swirling black energy rose up and engulfed the Antlion in a globe. It let go of the Goblin and began doing some flailing of its own, but quickly stopped as the gravity well crushed the energy right out of it. When the globe cleared, it was stunned, but far from beaten.

Nobody noticed the Jawbreaker charge up a spell of its own.

The Toughskin was squaring off against Kreppl, and not having much luck. The Cream was absorbing all its attacks and dishing out major damage with Thundaga. Eventually Kreppl ran out of Mana, and the Toughskin took that opportunity to flee and head for the two Red Caps before he recharged some of his power. The Toughskin seemed to be doing better against them than against Kreppl, chipping their HP down while receiving virtually no damage from either of them.

Meanwhile, Clivia cast Meteorite at the last remaining Antlion, who dodged the incoming meteor by scuttling backwards. It then charged at Molly, who yelped and whacked at it with the Stardust Rod. Surprisingly the oversized insect grabbed the Rod with its pincers and tried to twist it out of her hands! As Molly wrestled the Antlion, Clivia cast Meteorite again, and this time the attack hit square on. It let go of the Rod, almost KOed. Luckily the Rod was still completely intact.

"Whew, close one, kupo."

That's when the Jawbreaker finished charging its spell, and let the Tricky Spirits have a taste of Level Five Death.

A black ripple of negative energy spread from the Jawbreaker, fast as lightning, and was gone in an instant. Every single clan member, except for Molly and Clivia, fell to the ground on the spot as if struck with a blowdart, KOed.

Clivia was speechless. "...I forgot about that attack..."

"Kupopo! What will we do now? I can't use items or I get carded!"

The Judge sighed. He was used to seeing this kind of situation, where the laws made it a one-sided battle... Sometimes he hated his job.

Clivia tried not to panic. "Stay calm, we may still be able to win."

"Clivia, watch out!" Molly cried. The Jawbreaker was scuttling after Clivia, and that thing was _fast._

"I have no Mana left to cast Meteorite!"

"DEMI!!"

Molly conjured up another gravity well around the Jawbreaker, slowing it down, but it was resisting, getting ever closer to Clivia. Molly poured all her energy into the spell, making the well as strong as she could, feeling the physical strain on her body double... She didn't know how much of this she could handle.

She felt the Rod grow hot. Very, very hot. _"The Rod is overheating..."_ she thought. The heat from the weapon only made the pain that much worse, and, unable to tolerate it any longer, she collapsed into the sand as the Rod slipped gently out of her hands. The spell subsided.

Both the Antlion and the Jawbreaker glanced at Molly's collapsed body... She was a very strong mage. She had to be dealt with. They rushed her, biting and slicing at the fallen Moogle, and Clivia couldn't do anything about it.

"MOLLYYYY!!!"

Clivia couldn't bear it. The red Jawbreaker reared up for the final blow, and at that time Molly heard a faint angelic chorus in her head, suddenly overwhelmed by a wave of purity shooting through her. She stood up again, her strength returning to her instantaneously, her wounds closing up... She felt like she had been kissed by an angel, and it took her a few seconds to readjust to the world when the light and holy feeling cleared.

Then it dawned on her what Clivia had just done for her.

"Wh-what happened, kupo? Did you just..."

"Yes," Clivia sighed. "Yes I did."

The Judge blew his whistle. "Infraction of Healing rule! Red card! That means... I have no choice but to send you to prison, fairy girl..."

"NO!!" Molly screamed.

"Sorry, but it's the law. ...Really, I'm sorry." The Judge held out his palm, and rings of light surrounded Clivia before she knew what hit her. She was instantly warped to prison. "Tricky Spirits leader has left the field, victory belongs to the Antlions!"

Molly was awestruck at this turn of events. Clivia had cast Angel Whisper on her because she couldn't bear seeing Molly fall to the Antlions. And it had cost her dearly.

Griefstricken, she picked up her Rod and trudged back to Baguba.

"I hope I meet you again someday, Clivia..." she quietly said, trying not to cry. "Ku... Kupo..."


	9. Demi 101: Introduction to Time Magic

Chapter 8 - _Demi 101-Introduction to Time Magic

* * *

_

It had been 3 days since the Antlion attack, and not once since then had Molly ran a mission or participated in any engagements. She had lost her will, her passion for the Clan scene. She still didn't know when her own clan would return, if they would at all, or her dad for that matter. In fact, she didn't often leave her house anymore either. Life had lost its vibrance.

She had told Mom what happened, and Mom occasionally came to talk to her and comfort her, but there was not a lot she could say to make it better.

The third day, Mom decided it had gone on long enough.

"Molly," she asked her daughter, sitting down next to her on the couch, "how long are you going to keep this up?"

Molly looked back at Mom. "I have no idea, kupo. I don't feel the passion for the Clan Wars anymore. I probably never will again."

"The Molly I raised wouldn't give up so easily."

"That's... true, I guess, kupo..."

"Think of how excited you were when you finally gained the means to become a Time Mage, kupo. You just started, and now you're feeling like you're never going to do it again..."

Molly sighed. "Maybe I would feel better if I got word from Yinns... or Clivia..."

"I know the feeling, sweetie. You can never forget about a good friend, kupo, but at the same time you can move on. You'll probably even see her again someday..."

"The only reason she decided to break the Healing rule in that fight was because I wasn't strong enough to stop that monster, kupo." Molly looked down at the ground, saddened.

"Ohhhhhh honey, don't say that. You're just starting out, kupo... That was your very first battle as a Time Mage, wasn't it?"

She nodded. "That means I have to get stronger, though..."

"So you're not giving up?"

Molly looked at her mom. Mom was smiling. And at that moment a spark lit inside the girl...

Mom spoke again. "I might not understand all the ins and outs about how clans work, kupo... But Molly, you make me the proudest Moogle mother in all of Ivalice for me to know that you're in such a great Clan with such a driven heart. Please, kupo. Don't take that away from me."

Molly leaned her head against Mom's shoulder. "Alright, kupo. I'll give it another try. And I'll become stronger. For Clivia's sake, for the clan, and for everyone I get the chance to help in the future, kupo." She got up off the couch and headed towards the door. "Thank you Mom."

* * *

Molly stood beside the treehouse on the cliffside, holding her Stardust Rod in a battle stance.

"For your sake, Clivia, I will get stronger. Wait for me, kupo."

She thrust her Rod forward. "Demi!"

Forces built up inside her as the star-shaped jewel on the Rod glowed the seven colors of the rainbow, and the gravity well began to form in front of her. She practiced holding it as long as she could... Five seconds... Ten seconds... Then the Rod began to heat up again, and she broke the spell. She wiped the sweat from her brow. "Whew, kupo... This is exhausting. Okay, let's try it again." She had no idea that Time Magic was this draining. It might've helped if she had started with a simpler spell...

She walked up to a small tree covered in leaves. "Demi!" Another glowing Rod-thrust, and the gravity well began to form around the tree. The swirling energies twisted the shape of the tree and began ripping the leaves off the branches, pulled to the ground in a compressed heap. Five seconds... Ten seconds... Twelve... Break. The tree was in shambles when she broke the well this time, so she figured she'd practice on air like her first attempt.

"Gonna try for 15 seconds, kupo. Demi!" Thrust, and the well was back up. But this time the Rod heated up after only five seconds, having been strained by an untrained magic user twice in a row already. She pretended to ignore it, and casting the spell became like swimming through molasses. Ten seconds. The Rod was pulsing with magenta and white violent bursts of light. Twelve seconds. Molly felt as if her soul was being blown out of her body...

"J-Just... a little more..."

Thirteen.

Fourteen...

SNAP.

Molly heard a sound she did not want to hear-- the sound of the star-shaped jewel on the Rod cracking from the inside out. It didn't shatter, but it cracked. And when it cracked, the gravity well shattered like glass in a similar fashion. Black ripples of distorted space-time poured out of the shattered energy field, blowing Molly to the ground and warping the air as if a seam had opened.

Maybe one had.

"_What have I done, kupopo!??_" Molly screamed to herself as the energy pouring from the shattered gravity well continued to grow stronger... Molly held on to the ground, trying not to be blown away by the waves of force rippling outward. She looked up at the pulsing purple orb, which was increasing in brightness... A black shadowy form of some kind was appearing in the eye of the storm, getting bigger...

Then, all at once, the energy finally began to die down and subside, the warped air returning to normal, the colors of the sky and the trees resetting, the rippling waves of force subsiding like the calm after the storm... After half a minute had gone by, you couldn't even tell there had even been such a severe disturbance whatsoever.

Molly stared. A smoldering figure laid on the ground where the gravity well had been... Molly stepped closer to it to try to make it out...

A human boy. Lying seemingly unconscious... But the way he was dressed, Molly had not seen anything like it. He wore thick, blue trousers with metal buttons in many places, and his dark green shirt had the words "i p0wn n00bz" written in a light-green, alien-looking font. Molly had never been around computers before to know that the font was based of MS-DOS print. He wore rounded square-rimmed glasses and had thick, dark-brown hair that seemed to stick out in several places, though it wasn't spiked, like a typical human clanner would have it.

"Who... is he?" Molly whispered to herself, awestruck. "Did I... bring him here?"

Molly was about to find out, as the smoking human boy slowly opened his eyes and stirred...


	10. Fury of the Black Ingot

Chapter 9 - _Fury of the Black Ingot

* * *

_

"How can you sstand ssuch long journiess?" Alastor demanded wearily, leaning against the soft, feathery neck of his ride. He, along with five other Chocobo riders, approached civilization ahead with much anticipation, but it was still in the distance, and even with the birds' long strides across the sandy path they wanted this sun-baked, strenuous journey to be over. The exception was Mickey, riding a Red Panther without even having broken a sweat.

"Eh, quit complaining. It wasn't that long of a journey. Six days ain't gonna kill you," Mickey snappily replied. She spoke quickly and to the point like a tomboy.

"Ssix... dayss... uuugh..." The Bangaa almost fell off his Chocobo. The huntress's aptness at something he seemed to be inept at was starting to get on his nerves.

"Look, it's not like you haven't eaten in that time," Mickey disgustedly responded. Her Red Panther seemed to share the feeling of annoyance, and sped up to the front of the pack next to Yinns.

"There's Sprohm in the distance, kupo... Just a little more to go..." He turned to Mickey. "Thanks so much for all the help you've been so far, kupo." Yinns was apparently tired too, but he hadn't griped about it once and it showed that he was trying to conceal his exhaustion, earning Mickey's respect.

"Eh, don't mention it. I do this for me, not for you." Her reply made Yinns wince, though he was used to it by now. "But anyway I'm glad you appreciate my help. Least someone does these days besides those Panthers down in the Gorge..."

"We do, we do, kupo." He held on tighter as the terrain got a tad bit bumpier for a while. Long Chocobo trips could hurt a guy's bum...

Elliot tiredly leaned against the neck of his Chocobo, not saying a word. Theodore, like Yinns, didn't show signs of tiredness, but he didn't have much energy in him either. He silently prayed to the Dragon Totema Adrammelech as he rode.

April was half-asleep and the sun was making her sweat. "Please... Make it s-stop..."

Sprohm was getting bigger as they approached...

"Hold it right there!"

Six other Chocobo riders stood in the way of Clan Indigo, the leader a purple-wearing human brandishing twin Orichalcum Knives, which glistened green in the sun, from atop his cream-feathered ride. Even their Chocobos had a hostile feel about them. Yinns sighed, knowing these guys were out to cause some trouble.

"This is a robbery! Hand us all your Gil and everything in those backpacks or we'll cut you blokes down!"

Yinns turned and looked apologetically at his exasperated clanmates, feeling just as exasperated. "Why does it have to be us, kupo..."

"Bad karma?" April wearily suggested. "We're boned... We should just give up..."

Mickey was in no mood to be toyed with. "Okay, yeah, you bitches picked the wrong day to screw with us. Sonic Boom!"

"Wait, kupo!"

Mickey stopped her Sonic Boom tech right before it was released, glaring at Yinns. "What the hell's wrong with you, furball?"

"I'm ending this before it starts. ...Initiate Black Ingot, kupo."

Alastor squealed like a girl, and, with renewed energy, leapt off his Chocobo and tried to tackle Yinns to the ground to stop him from using the most deadly Pandora Tech of all time. Being a Defender, though, he couldn't manage to move fast enough, and the holographic coin was in the air before he could make his move.

So he settled on grabbing Yinns by the shoulders and shaking him violently. "What have you done!? _What have you DONE!!?_"

The coin in the air spun.

"Saving our tails, kupo! Let's get out of here!" Yinns got back on his Chocobo and raced past the bandits. "Once we're in Sprohm we're safe, kupo!" Before the bandits could react, the others took their cue and followed their leader.

The coin in the air spun.

"Hey! Get back here you blokes!" the Thief called, giving chase. "Simon, Gypsy, open fire!"

The coin in the air spun. And it was slowing down...

Two of the bandits were apparently ranged attackers, as Simon the Moogle drew a Giot Gun and started firing rounds at the clan, while Gypsy the Viera drew a Hades Bow and gave them death from above in the form of raining arrows. The Chocobo riders swerved side to side to dodge the missile attacks, while Mickey launched Sonic Boom at the attackers as she rode to slow them down. Likewise, they swerved as well to dodge her attacks. The thieves' Chocobos were intelligent to the point of seeming war-trained; Yinns recognized such behavior anywhere. These bandits took themselves seriously.

And as the pursuit ensued, nobody saw which side the coin sided with. The Black Ingot tech was forgotten about completely during the rush of the Chocobo chase.

"I'm hit!" April cried as she clutched her shoulder, which had been chipped from one of Simon's bullets.

"I'll ssave you," Elliot called, but he could never finish casting Cura. "Arrgh, I'm hit too!" An arrow had pierced his right arm. He removed it by pushing the arrow all the way through, but he was wounded and wouldn't be able to cast his spell, courtesy of Gypsy's shot to his arm.

A Juggler on the bandit's team threw a hula hoop. It landed right over Yinns's Chocobo, causing it to trip, roll to the ground and stop moving entirely. Yinns was on foot, and was no match for the speed of the war-trained bandit Chocobos. They quickly caught up to him, weapons drawn.

"Aw shit, Yinns is good as gone," Mickey commented, about-facing and readying her special, nameless Greatbow. She let two arrows fly, and they struck the Bandit leader and the Juggler dead on, stopping their advance. Without skipping a beat she let another arrow fly into the vital organs of the Viera Fencer in the back, causing her to collapse to the ground, paralyzed.

Simon the Gunner let Mickey have it right in the head with Stopshot. Her reign of terror was over as the bullet sent a shock of paralyzing energy through the huntress's nervous system, shutting her down.

By now the other members of Clan Indigo had reached their captured comrade, weapons drawn.

"Halt!" the Thief called, grasping Yinns's light body and holding the green knife to his throat. "Throw down your weapons or I'll take his life! And there's no Judge around to save his hide from your blunder, either! Haha!"

"Craven cur!" Elliot barked, "You won't get away with thiss!"

"G-guys... kupo," Yinns choked, "Don't... worry about me... I'm strong."

Theodore began silently charging up a spell, but the bandit leader noticed. "Fine, I guess you don't care much about your friend's life!" the Thief laughed, raising his knife.

All at once, each of the bandits grabbed their heads and started screaming.

"Aieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" the Thief bellowed, "I hear the cries of ten-thousand tortured souls hell-bent on devouring me! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaugh!"

One by one, each bandit fell to the ground, KOed. Clan Indigo stared at this spectacle, wide-eyed. Except for a content Yinns.

"See, kupo? Black Ingot is quite an asset."

Alastor regained his composure and shook his head. "Wow... Okay, thank you, but I'm sstill not forgiving you for the Flan inccident."

"Never expected you to, kupo. Off to Sprohm!"

The group got back on their Chocobos and Red Panther and continued riding towards the city of Sprohm, which was closer than ever, each one with a renewed respect and fear of their fearless leader, Yinns the Gadgeteer.

The exception to this was Alastor. A very tired, very cranky Alastor, feeling betrayed and disregarded by his leader.


	11. Enter Tucker of Planet Earth

Chapter 10 - _Enter Tucker of Planet Earth

* * *

_

The boy stirred, but didn't get up. "Urgh... Wh... What the hell happened..."

Moments ago he had been in his bedroom, studying for a calculus test, when a wormhole opened in the middle of his room and he blacked out.

A wormhole.

In his bedroom.

And he knew it was a wormhole, too... Twelve years of reading, watching and playing science fiction and video games of all kinds was more than enough experience in knowing a wormhole when he saw it. He believed in wormholes, true, but he also believed that the chance of one opening in his bedroom for no reason was less than one in billions and billions.

He lifted his head and looked around at his surroundings. To his left, a tree with a treehouse in it. Beyond that, clouds. Apparently it was a cliffside. He heard waves crashing nearby so he assumed it was an ocean cliffside. Forest and trees to the right, not too dense but getting denser with distance. Ahead of him, a dirt road leading to buildings in the distance, buildings that looked vaguely familiar but he couldn't quite put his finger on them...

He didn't see Molly standing nearby.

"Ugh, my head hurts..." He slowly reached up to take off his glasses, and looked at them. They were fine. "At least my glasses are intact..."

He felt his jeans. "Still intact... Looks like... I'm all here. But where the hell _am_ I...?"

Molly continued to watch the teenager, extremely curious but not daring to speak to him. He still didn't see her. She didn't know if he was dangerous or not... She thought she could probably defend herself with Blizzaga, but she wasn't sure.

The boy sighed. "Better get moving... Find out where in the bloody heck I am..." He got to his feet, almost falling over again due to dizziness, but he found his balance. "Whoa... okay. There." He shook his head like a dog, shaking the dizziness out of him. "Woo-hah. Okay... Hoo. Alright. I feel better. Off to the forboding city of doom," he laughed, still feeling like he was in some surreal dream but secretly even doubting that. He began to walk towards central Baguba. Molly began to follow from a distance.

"Someone's there..." Apparently he heard her footsteps, turned around and spotted her. Molly froze, her hand gripping the broken Stardust Rod at her belt in case she needed it.

Neither side moved or spoke for an indeterminable period of time. They were about 20 feet apart, yet the boy almost couldn't believe what he was seeing... An actual, real live Moogle girl, three or four feet tall at a guess, the signature fur pom-pom hanging over her head, the tiny wings on her back... Everything pointed to the answer Moogle like a big flashing sign. His heart began to race.

"I don't believe it," he said aloud.

Molly said nothing.

"You're... You're a Moogle, right?" he hoped.

Molly slowly nodded, still not sure what to make of the situation.

The boy grinned, breathing harder. "Wow... I'm speechless, really... Holy shit..."

Some of Molly's courage returned. He seemed friendly enough... She took a few steps closer, still not speaking.

"...You can talk, can't you?" he asked.

Molly nodded again, slowly.

"Hey. You don't need to be afraid of me," he said. "I think Moogles are tight. Dude, I never thought I'd actually meet one." He suddenly laughed heartily. "Shit! A real Moogle!"

She didn't know what he meant by 'tight', but... who hadn't seen a Moogle? Curious...

"You've... never seen a Moogle before, kupo?"

Her 'kupo' _thrilled_ him, sending a shiver of delight though his whole existance, but he hid it in case it might scare her. He couldn't afford to scare her off. Not for the world. "No," he said, doing his best to contain himself, "not in person..."

"Who... Who are you?" she asked.

"Tucker," he replied, finally able to control himself. "That's my name. Tucker. What's yours?" He still couldn't believe he was talking to a character from one of his favorite video game series. He was having to play this by ear and it was harder than he ever dreamed about.

"I'm Molly, kupo. It's nice to meet you, I suppose..."

"You've seen a human before, haven't you?"

"All the time, kupo! But... none that looked anything like you..." It's true what she said. Nobody had glasses like that or, for that matter, a shirt that said "l p0wn n00bz" in computer-font. For that matter, this was probably the first true T-shirt she had ever seen. Other short-sleeved shirts were more mellow and made out of different material...

Tucker frowned. "Okay, where am I, exactly?"

"This is the port city of Baguba, kupo. The country is Ivalice."

Tucker was thoughtful. He hadn't heard of a city called Baguba before, yet here was a Moogle, so by deduction he assumed he was in some kind of Final Fantasy world... Molly or anyone else here, however, probably wouldn't realize what the term 'Final Fantasy' met if he had asked them. Next he had to figure out how he got here.

"Right. Another question, Molly... Do you, like, know how I got here?"

"Not really, kupo..." Molly explained. "I was practicing magic in this big open space, and the Rod overheated and made this big black overload explosion, kupo. And there you were."

"Ohhhhh, so YOU brought me here," he reasoned. "That's heavy..."

"Kupopo! I... well, yes... But it was an accident!" Fear started to return to her as she thought he might be angry with this news. But he wasn't.

Tucker sighed. "Look, I'm not mad or anything, I swear it. It's okay, really. I could use a vacation, anyway... School was getting hectic..."

"Vacation?"

"Yeah. What I think happened was that, like, you warped me in from my world when you were practicing your magic and it went wrong... I mean seriously, a freakin' wormhole opened in my bedroom for god sakes. _In my bedroom._ And all I was doing was studying for a calculus test..."

"Calculus?"

"Yeah, you know, calculus. Advanced math."

"Oh." Molly found herself beginning to smile. She liked this boy Tucker... She didn't really know why. He was so different than anything she's ever seen before... She wanted to know more about this boy and this 'world' of his he spoke of... What was happening right now was something she never thought was possible.

Voices behind them. "There he iss!"

Tucker whirled around to see two Bangaa approach, specifically a Dragoon and a Templar. Both carried a Dragon Whisker spear and wore Mirror Mail, but Tucker didn't recognize either item. He just saw that the Bangaa were big, scaly and lizard-like.

"Holy _shit!_ Lizard men! This is insane!" He backed up. Molly gasped.

The Bangaa stopped in their tracks, infuriated. "Human sscum! That'ss OUR word! You can't USSE that word!" the Dragoon said. Still shaken, Tucker cursed himself silently for not thinking first... How would a black person from his world react to the N-word? Same deal here with the Bangaa and the word 'lizard'. He was just fortunate to not call them 'salamanders', a word about 10 times more derogatory than lizard.

"We ssaw a black explossion in the distance. Iss everything alright?" the Templar asked, suspiciously.

Tucker didn't really know what to say... Here he was, a little furry thing behind him and two intimidating humanoid lizards staring him down with spears. It's not like this has ever happened to anyone he'd ever met in his life. "Uh... What do I do?" he pleaded to Molly.

Molly stepped forward. "I apologize on this human's behalf, kupo. He's probably never seen a Bangaa before in his life, at least not in person..."

"What do you mean? Everyone'ss sseen Bangaa before, foolissh Moogle."

Tucker shook his head. "No... I'm not from around here, let's just say. She has a point." Thinking, _"This is so weird, this is SO WEIRD..."_

"Let'ss bring them down!" the Dragoon exclaimed. "Sshe'ss lying! Sshe'ss probably the one who caussed the exxplossion! Witch! Witch!"

The Dragoon crouched, the air flashed around him, and in one bound he was so high in the air he looked like a little black inkblot splashed onto the blue sky overhead. Tucker just stared. "Whoaaaaa..." He didn't see the Templar rush forward to attack, so Molly had to grab Tucker's hand and yank him out of the way, knocking him back to his senses.

"Quick, kupo! Get in the treehouse!" she commanded. Tucker didn't ask questions-- he rushed after her towards the ladder into the treehouse. Molly made it first, but the Dragoon's attack was almost finished, coming right down towards the ladder with such speed his spear was engulfed in a cone of shining wind. Tucker dropped from the ladder and half-stumbled backwards to get out of the way, missing the Jump attack as the Dragoon came crashing into the ground in front of the ladder, the force of the impact throwing earth in all directions and creating a crater.

Tucker looked around. The two Bangaa stood on either side of him, circling him slowly with their spears poised. He clenched his teeth. "This isn't real... There's NO way this can be real..."

"Call uss a lizzard, will you?" the Templar yelled. "Die!!"

The Templar rushed forward, and Tucker ducked out of the way... almost. He took the attack in the side, but it didn't hit him deep, though it _stung._ He clutched his side, which was stained red through his green shirt.

He stared up at the Bangaa in awe. "Son of a..." he stammered. He knew now this was no dream. He could die if he wasn't careful. The two Bangaa came for him again, and he scrambled back, running to the other side of the tree. They followed him. "You're insane, both of you! Get the hell away from me! _Moogle, where are you!?"_

Hatches in the tree's trunk opened, revealing cannons. The Bangaa turned, surprised. Molly's voice spoke out of the treehouse through a speaker.

"Leave him alone, kupo, or you're having Explosion Soup for lunch!" It was the best she could come up with, though even Tucker thought it was kinda funny and chuckled a little. At least he was saved... Thank God.

"Thosse look powerful..." the Dragoon stammered. "Grr... Fine, Molly, but thiss issn't over. Mark my wordss." The two backed up, then took off running.

"God damn... Glad _that's_ over," Tucker breathed, sighing in relief, still in shock that he was actually stabbed with a spear, even if it was just a nick... With difficulty, he finished climbing the ladder and Molly let him into the treehouse. She was horrified.

"Omigosh, kupokupo, you're bleeding!!"

"Yeah..." Tucker laid down on a wooden bench, sweating. "And I feel ill... Hope that wasn't poisoned..."

Frantically Molly searched through the HQ storage crates in the corner for items that would help Tucker. She assumed there was a bit of poison in the wound, so she fished out an X-Potion and an Antidote and headed to Tucker's resting spot.

"Drink," she commanded, handing him the glass bottle as she examined his wound, breaking open the leaves on the Antidote and rubbing the blue, gooey substance over and around the wound opening. Apparently it stung, and Tucker winced as she applied the Antidote. "Ssh, ssh, just drink your potion, kupo."

"Potion..." Tucker sat up and drank the blue liquid all at once. Almost instantly, he felt his strength start to return... "Oh wow, I feel better... Niiiiiiice. This is... whoa, this is NICE. Never woulda thought these things work so well. ...Tastes kind of like Powerade."

"Powerade?" she asked curiously.

"It's, um... a kind of potion from my world."

"I'd love to know more about this world of yours, kupo," Molly said sweetly. Meanwhile she began to examine her broken Stardust Rod.

Tucker slowly sat up and folded his hands, thinking. How would you go about explaining what life was like to someone who lived in another universe? He knew lots about this universe, apparently, if it was like Final Fantasy... He had played tons of the more popular Final Fantasy titles in the series, being into gaming as much as he was. "Well... For one thing, we don't have Moogles or Bangaas or Chocobos. Only humans, and other animals like bears, dogs, fish..."

"Kupopo, no Moogles? What about Nu Mou or Vieras?"

"Nope. Humans are the only intelligent life out there. And we don't have magic either."

"No magic... _Wow..._" The concept was a hard one for Molly to grasp. No magic at _all?_ _Tons_ of things in Ivalice required magic, or at least were benefitted by it. "How do you fight powerful beasts without magic, kupo?"

"Well... actually, most of the fighting is done against other humans."

Molly grew wide-eyed. "Against each-other!?"

Tucker nodded solemnly. "Yeah. It's a violent world. And we don't have magic, so we use guns and technology. You guys have airships, right?"

"Baguba is actually the airship capital of Ivalice, kupo," Molly declared, feeling proud to live where she did.

"We have those. And boats, and tanks that roll along the ground. And in far away countries, these machines blast the crap out of each-other to solve their differences. It's awful, really."

"It sounds like it... I couldn't imagine living in a world like that. What about Jobs, kupo? Do you have those?"

"Thousands of them. And each one is unique."

"Thousands... Wowww..." Molly had stars in her eyes. "What's yours, kupo?"

"I don't have one, yet. But I was looking to get into a college-- err, school, so I could become a game designer."

"And what do they do?"

"Design games, of course. Video games." He saw her puzzled expression and sighed, thinking of how he'd explain this one to her... "You guys don't have television, do you?"

"No..."

"In my world, we have this... box, with an image on it that changes... It's like reading a book, except instead of reading words you're watching a picture. Does that make sense?"

She nodded, fascinated.

"That's called "TV". Now video games are the same, except you're making the characters do stuff by pressing buttons and moving levers on a little device. It's interactive. Books can't do that, I'm afraid." He grinned.

"Sounds complicated, kupo." Molly was still slightly puzzled.

"Sometimes it is. It depends on the game. And there are thousands and _thousands_ of games around the world."

"And game designers make these video games?"

"That's the premise. I love video games." Tucker smiled. "In fact I have trophies for competing in worldwide tournaments. There's this one game where you have to step on these giant arrows in time to the music... Man, if I could show you some videos of people playing that one..."

Molly was fascinated beyond words. She tried to picture it. And here was a young man who had come from such a place that could only exist in books... That _she_ had brought here by accident...

"That's actually how I knew you were a Moogle," he said next.

Molly gasped. "Wh-what do you mean by that, kupo?" she asked, her heart racing.

"Well... How can I explain this? These expert game designers made this game called Final Fantasy that has Moogles in it, Black Mages, Dragons, Chocobos... All that jazz. In fact they've made games all about Ivalice too. It's almost like everything here is just like in the game..."

"That's crazy, kupo! So they knew everything about this world already and made a video game about it!?"

Tucker bit his lip. "I'm not sure how that works... That might've been it, either that or the world was created when they made the game, either that or it was pure coincidence. There's no way to know for sure, but I wouldn't say it's anything to worry about..."

Molly was silent, still fascinated by this other world, unable to fully grasp its complexity.

"So," Tucker said, standing up and stretching, "now it's your turn. How does _this_ world work?"

Molly began explaining everything from Laws to Engagements, the Clan Wars, clan activities and about her own clan, the five dominant races and the different job classes available to each one... She was amazed how quickly Tucker was able to grasp each concept, and blown away entirely when he started correctly predicting what she was about to say before she said it. It was as if he had subconsciously known all the ins and outs of how Ivalice worked and it was coming back to him or something.

"Kupopo, how do you KNOW all this stuff before I even _say_ it!?"

"Comes naturally to me. I'm a gamer." He paused. "...Hey, I'm not freaking you out at all, am I Molly?"

"N-no..." She smiled. "I think it's amazing, kupo. Really, I'm speechless..."

"It's kind of a bummer that only Moogles get guns, though..."

Molly laughed heartily. "Humans get Illusionist, Ninja, Hunter, Paladin, Blue Mage... Besides, kupo, Moogle Gunners give a lot of Moogles a bad name. Mainly the poachers prowling about, kupo..."

"Ah yes, poachers. We have those too. I guess no world is perfect," he said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess not..."

"Say Molly, I need to know... What job class do you think I should go with? ...I mean if I'm gonna be here a while I'm gonna need a job class, right?"

"Oh my, kupo..." She sat down, contemplating the matter. "I... I don't really know, kupo. I'm not so good at that sort of thing. Job classes are based on either Physical or Magical aspects, and about three-quarters of the folks in Ivalice have a strong liking to either one or the other, kupo."

"That makes sense."

"But the main decider for many people is the _discipline_ of each lifestyle, kupo. For example, a Bishop has a strong religous background, and a Black Mage is raised to respect the elements."

"Ah yes, religon... The cause of many wars back in my world."

"Seriously!?"

"Oh yes. But that's fine anyway, seeing as how only the Bangaa get to be Bishops in Ivalice and I'm clearly not... What about the other clan members?"

"Well, Yinns, the clan leader, is a Gadgeteer, and that means, well..."

"Gadgets. Technology. Inventions. They're probably the ones who create other Moogle weapons like guns, right?" He spoke it like it was his first language.

Molly was thrilled. "Kupopo, correct as usual! And you have the physical classes like Alastor, who's a Defender... Defenders value the protection of other beings as their lifelong purpose."

"But that's another Bangaa class. What about the _human_ classes?"

"Well, the most basic one is the Soldier, who is basically like a combat trainee, kupo... Soldiers can either become Fighters, who live for the art of combat, or Paladins who live to protect justice and chivalry."

"And I'm guessing Fighers are offensive while Paladins are mainly defensive."

"Wow, kupo... That's correct, furthermore very insightful. I never thought of that before, kupo."

Tucker smiled. "Like I said, I eat this stuff up. It's my first language, what can I say. Please continue." He hoped he wasn't coming off as rude.

"Okay, kupo... Well, next you have the Thief, who believes in using cunning and craftiness to win, and the Ninja who believes in honor and discipline. Then the Archers, which value courage, and the Hunter who believes in the art of the hunt and the catch of the quarry."

"So Hunters naturally excel in defeating wild monsters, such as Malboros."

"You got it, kupo! Then the magic classes, White Mages who believe in helping others, Black Mages who believe in respect for the elements, Illusionists who believe in magic as the ultimate answer, and, kupo... Blue Mages, who believe in the importantce of learning and education."

"That last one sounds like a good one," Tucker commented, lost in thought about the eleven Human job classes and which one would be best for him. They all sounded good.

"Blue Mage? Yes, kupo, Blue Mages are usually very insightful."

"Which one do you think I should pick, Molly?"

"Kupo, you asked me that already and I still don't know..."

"And you said I can have one main class and one secondary class?"

Molly nodded.

"Hard descision. Now I can change at any time, right?"

"Any time you're in a city and not in battle, kupo."

"What other Human jobs do you have in the clan?"

"Well, we... don't really have any Humans in the clan, kupo."

Tucker raised his eyebrows. "Well, that doesn't help me narrow it down... Maybe I'll remain jobless for a while. Get a feel for just being here."

"That's probably a good idea, kupo." She stood up. "I should go do something about this Stardust Rod. Care to come with me?"

"Sounds like a plan. Maybe we can me some different clothes while we're at it so I don't look like a freak."

Molly frowned. "Hmm... Alright, but we'll have to stop by my Mom's place first to get some money, kupo."

"No problem." Tucker followed Molly out of the treehouse and the two walked towards the buildings in the distance, which marked central Baguba. "That reminds me, Molly. How old are you?"

"Only 10," Molly replied. "But that's about 17 in Moogle years. You?"

"Just became an adult. I'm 18."

"Wow, kupo, over here the adult age is much lower."

"That doesn't surpise me," Tucker replied.

"Really? How come?"

They talked the whole way, really connecting and having a good time. Tucker was incredibly insightful to the workings of Ivalice, with perspectives on things Molly never would've imagined. Molly had good values and an outstandingly kind and compassionate heart, something Tucker didn't get to see much from where he came from, living in a tougher section of New York.

"Back at my world, we live in this building called an apartment, and there's this crazy old guy who lives underneath us who's always talking about things like dragons and monsters and magic..."

"Oh, so he knows about this world too, kupo?"

"No he doesn't... He's just making it up. But he doesn't know he's making it up. That's why they say he's crazy. His house is full of all kinds of weird artifacts and gadgets that don't do anything... Man. He would FLIP... OUT... if he saw a world like this. Damn!"

"Your world sounds better than ours, kupo. Except for the humans killing each-other part."

"You really think so? ...Nah, I dunno..."

Both of them knew this was the start of a glorious friendship.


	12. Not Everyone Orders the Cadoanian Malt

Chapter 11 - _Not Everyone Orders the Cadoan Malt

* * *

_

"Mom!"

Molly came running into her house, happy to be home. Tucker waited outside, patiently, for he thought maybe if Mom had seen Molly hanging out with some stange human male there would be suspicion. He didn't want to give anyone the wrong ideas about himself.

But several minutes later, two Moogles came walking out of the house. One was Molly, the other was an older, slightly taller female Moogle in her traditional blue, white-lined apron. He knew it was Molly's mom.

"Mom, this is Tucker," Molly explained. He casually waved to her with a smile, still a litte unsure.

"Ah, hello Tucker, kupo," Mom said to him. He noticed his shirt. "My my, what does your shirt say? And good heavens, kupo, why do you have dried blood on your shirt!?"

He laughed. "Well, the phrase is something good gamers say to other gamers who aren't very good as a way to taunt them. To put it simply. And the blood stain is due to an unfortunate clash I had with some Bangaa back at the treehouse... Molly scared them off. Nice girl you've raised."

Mom laughed too. "Well, I'm flattered that my daughter has made friends with such a polite young man... Here's some money," she said, handing a bag of Gil to Molly, which she took, grinning. "Just don't spend it all in one place, it's all you're getting! Have fun you two!" She lightly hugged Molly.

"Thanks, Mama! I'll be back later tonight!" And with that, the two friends headed out to the city.

"Hey Molly, you didn't tell her about the incident with the wormhole, did you?" Tucker inquired.

"Yeah I did, kupo... I hope that was alright..."

"And she believed you? Seriously, it seems a little far-fetched... even for me..."

"She didn't at first, kupo, but when I showed her the broken Stardust Rod it convinced her."

"Can I see that Rod?"

She handed it to him. He stared at it... It looked fine, except for that the star-shaped jewel at the top was cracked almost all the way through.

"And this broke in the middle of casting a gravity well spell?"

Molly nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, let's think about this... The gravity well contained distorted space-time, right?"

"I, uh, believe so... Time magic is new to me, kupo..."

"So if the power source cracked, so would the walls of the well... causing immense amounts of excess energy, like splitting a nucleus."

"Wait, what's a nucleus, kupo?"

"A part of an atom. The smallest piece of matter physically possible."

"I think I understand, kupo." She pictured it, but the concept was a strange one.

"With such a powerful burst of contained energy, it might've been enough to puncture the dimensional fabric between universes, and there's your wormhole. Which is what brought me here. God I'm good." Tucker beamed. Years of fantasy and sci-fi games and books paid off at last. He didn't expect Molly to understand, but judging by Molly's face he saw she was actually starting to get it. This made him happy, as so far she hadn't got a lot of what he had to say about things.

"So what's our first stop?"

"Tailor, kupo. We're gonna get you some kupo clothes," she said with a smile and a gleam in her eyes.

As they walked through the slightly crowded streets, Tucker looked around at all the huge buildings of Baguba... They weren't as big as the buildings he knew from home, but the structural designs were unique and would've taken an architectural _genius_ to perfect the way they had been.

"Moogles made these buildings?" he asked.

"Yeah, kupo! You think they did a good job?"

"They did an _amazing_ job. This is better than the Final Fantasy guys had it in their impression of this world." He smirked at his own little bit of insight. Molly laughed at that comment, partly because it was still partially beyond her grasp. At times like these she felt like a burden to Tucker, but in reality Tucker heavily felt the opposite.

They reached the tailor. It was a smaller building than the others, but still expertly crafted, decorated and topped off (literally) with a dome as the ceiling. To Tucker, a dome was a good edition to a building, and couldn't have been easy to craft either. More and more he admired the Moogles for their ability to create.

The Moogle inside welcomed them, and Tucker immediately took note of his eyepatch. _Not bad,_ he thought.

"Hello, kupo," Molly greeted the tailor. "We need some human clothes."

"Job class?" he asked. For a Moogle, his voice was low; he sounded like a troubled little boy who had just been screaming at the top of his lungs for an hour and wiped out his vocal chords.

"Jobless, kupo."

The tailor looked at Tucker's shirt. "What does "i p0wn n00bz" mean, anyway? You're a strange one, kid."

"Err... I'm not from around here... It's a taunt where I come from." There was more to it, but neither Moogle would likely understand his musings, Tucker decided.

"I've seen a lot of things, but a taunt written on your clothes is ridiculous. No, no, I'll make you a kupo set of clothes all right... What're we going for in terms of style, exactly?"

"Err..." Tucker stammered, thinking. "You know, let's go with the generic blue-green look I currently have, though a brighter green than this."

"I'll charge 3,000 Gil since you look like a foreigner, kupo, and are still getting used to the place," he said. Tucker didn't know whether to feel insulted or grateful. He settled on both.

Molly forked over the Gil and the aged Moogle left the room through a curtain in the back and got to work. Tucker frowned. "Geez, I hope I didn't come off as clueless..."

"He's a tough cookie, kupo," Molly explained. "He treats everyone that way."

_"I heard that, you chewtoy," _they heard his voice from the other room, sending shivers down their spines. It was the intimidating, rural way he said it that got them. Without another thought they got the hell outta that building.

"Okay, and where are we going now?" Tucker wondered, hurrying to keep up with the fast Moogle girl as they went up some outdoor stairs.

"A friend of the clan, kupo," she replied. "Grizwald. If anyone would know anything about how to fix this Rod of mine, it's him."

"I'm gonna wager he's a Nu Mou alchemist, based on what you taught me."

"Kupopo, you're right!" Molly practically bounced up and down. "You know EVERYTHING about this world! And I don't even have to say it! I'm so glad I met you, Tucker..."

"Well, _you're_ the one who brought me here," Tucker half-joked, elbow-nudging her in the shoulder. "You taught me everything I know so far... You're an awesome teacher. I love that about you."

"Oh, but... I'm the one who looks up to _you,_ so..."

"It can go two ways, you know," he told her. "I'm nothing special, though. Here I might be, but where I come from I'm just another young adult in an endless society. It's a fun life, though, when you're into something like video games..." Pause. "To be honest though, I don't know how I'd fare in this world if I had to live here forever. Games are just games, but here the rubber really meets the road. You know what I mean?"

Molly nodded. "I think so, kupo. I'll try to keep that in mind, but I can't help but be fascinated by all your kupo stories about your world."

"Same here." He smiled at Molly, who in turn smiled back. "I still can hardly believe I'm here, that it's actually possible... I've lived for 18 years thinking it was all just a game, but now look. Turns out there's a hidden side to everything. And few people get the privelage to see it. ...Makes you think. Damn."

Molly loved Tucker's perspective on the matter, as usual.

They reached the Pub. "Grizwald usually can be found here during happy hour," Molly explained. "Try not to offend anyone by accident, kupo. I know you're new at this."

He nodded as they went into the Pub.

The inside was noisy. Tucker should've seen it coming, he decided; after all, this _was_ the Happy Hour, and people were certainly bound to be... _happy..._ during the Happy Hour... Molly went to the man at the counter, the bartender, and he greeted her heartily. "Well well! Hello Molly! It's been a few days, yes?"

"Yeah, kupo, long story. Has Grizwald arrived yet?"

"Ah yes, the old fogey is right over there," he replied heartily, jabbing his finger toward a table with a sole, red-clad Nu Mou occupying it. "He's been moaning about your clan recently," the bartender warned. "Your clan has been gone for quite a while. Might make him happy that you're here, so have at it."

She went to talk to him. Tucker looked at all the faces in the Pub. It was quite diverse, and it intimidated him a little seeing as how he stood out the way he did...

"Hey, you new here?" the bartender asked. Tucker didn't hear him. He waved his hands in front of Tucker's face. "Hey kid, what's up? Hellooo?"

"Huh? Oh damn, sorry, didn't think you were talking to me. I'm Tucker," he said with a friendly wave.

"No problem, no problem. You can call me Jeremiah," the bartender replied. "So... You new here?"

"Yeah..." Tucker said with a sigh. "Hoped it wouldn't be so obvious."

"Aw, don't worry about it. Once you decide on a Job you'll be just as respected as any average clanner."

"Yeah, but I can't decide on one... They all seem good."

"Oh yes... Many new clanners face that problem. Choosing your first Job is a big milestone." Jeremiah polished the counter as he conversed with the other-worlder. "Want my advice?"

"Sure."

"I've heard stories from all kinds of clanners, and the best ones out there all agree that the Job chooses the clanner, not so much the other way around."

Tucker's facial expression deadened. That was probably the most cliche'd thing he had ever heard. But he had to remember what universe he was in, and in said universes, cliche'd rules may not be so cliche'd after all...

"Okay," he replied. "So how does that work then? The Job choosing the clanner, that is."

"It's different for everyone," Jeremiah explained, still polishing his counter. Too bad for him he had to stick with soap and water, Tucker thought, himself being used to spray-on chemicals at home. "Some of them have a dream or vision, some of them choose a Job and adapt to the lifestyle, some of them find a weapon they really like and adjust their Job accordingly..."

"I'm only used to guns. And I can't use guns here." Tucker frowned. All his Halo 2 and occasional paintball outing with his friends would be useless if he couldn't use a gun.

"How can you be used to guns when only Moogles can use guns?" Jeremiah quizzed, raising an eyebrow.

"I come from far away. Very, very far away."

It was the bartender's turn to frown. "That can be a lonely feeling. Maybe a drink will make you feel better?" Jeremiah shoved him a mug of tangy lager, but Tucker hesitated. "My Cadoanian specialty. ...Hey, you don't have to, but here in Ivalice the drinking age is nonexistant if you're in a clan."

"Hmmm..." Tucker reached for the mug, trying to decide...

* * *

Meanwhile...

"Kupo! Good to see you, Grizwald!"

"Wellllllll, hellooooo little Molly of Clan Indigo," the Nu Mou Alchemist welcomed her with his hearty, grandfatherly personality, laughing sort of like Santa Claus. "Any news on Yinns and company?"

Molly shook her head sadly. "No... And I'm a bit worried about them, kupo. I would've thought they'd at least send me a letter."

Grizwald sighed. "Well, what's done is done... It would be quite sad for both of us if they didn't make it back. Though I would assume they're smart enough to detour _around_ the Jagds if given the option, ho ho ho."

"Kupo, yeah..." Molly laughed too, but hers was a nervous laugh more than a hearty one. "Hey, I need a favor from you, kupo."

"Ah yes, I was wondering when you were going to bring up your damaged Rod."

"Kupo, you _knew_ about that?" Molly was almost exasperated by all the people in her life reading her like a book. First Tucker, now Grizwald...

"I saw quite a dreadful explosion in the distance, and it reminded me of Time Magic for certain reasons... And you just became a Time Mage? Yinns told me you would be aiming for that before he left... Perhaps it would have been better for you to wait for his return. Demi seems a little much for a new Time Mage to handle, am I right? Maybe sticking to Quarter would've been better."

Molly covered her head. "Kupoooooh... I know, and I'm so foolish... But it was such a beautiful Rod..." She looked back up at Grizwald. "That explosion was a wormhole opening and closing, kupo. See him over there?" She pointed to Tucker, talking to the bartender.

Grizwald nodded. "I thought there was something strange about him."

She started telling him all about Tucker and the talks they had about stuff, and he listened intently, quite interested but not as much as Molly had been when Tucker had been explaining it to her.

"In his world, kupo, there are ONLY humans. No Moogles, not even any Nu Mou like you!"

"That would make sense. It must be hard for him adjusting to Ivalice's rules and checks."

"Yeah, kupo... He hasn't said anything about going home, but I know at some point I'll need to send him back... So I need to fix the Stardust Rod. Or get a new one, but they're not sold here at Baguba, kupo."

"So it would seem." The grandfatherly Alchemist sighed heavily. "Alright. I'll do this for you, and fix your Rod. But it will take several days. In the meantime, it is your job to keep Tucker out of trouble, and I think you should master some of the lesser Time Mage spells while I'm at work. What other rods do you have experience using?"

"Kupo... I used a Thunder Rod to master Thundara and a Chill Rod to master Blizzaga."

"Thunder Rod offers you Reflect, Chill Rod offers you Stop. Both spells are rather difficult to perfect... I will give you another Rod I have with me so you can master an easier ability first." He reached down and pulled a Rod from underneath the table, with a shimmering ruby sphere at the tip. "This Rod offers the ability Haste. Cast it on an ally and for a small amount of time he will be faster than the winds themselves."

"Wow, kupo... Th-thanks..." she stammered, wide-eyed, "but why are you giving me this?"

"Because all young magic users deserve a chance to redeem themselves when they fault," the Nu Mou said wisely. "The road of magic is harsh and unpredictable. I have learned that we often need to aid one another as best we can, both on and off the battlefield, to advance our standing in the society of Ivalice. ...My teacher was a legend at Magic, young Molly... I'll never forget these things he passed on to me, yet I miss him so much..."

"Thank you so much, kupopo!" she exclaimed. "I feel like I've been given a second chance!" She offered to hug Grizwald, and he embraced her as if she was his grandchild.

"That's the idea, little Molly." Grizwald smiled anciently, strengthening Molly's hope.

"I better go, kupo... I kept Tucker waiting too long. Thank you again!" She got up and headed towards Tucker.

She stopped for a moment when she saw him. He was sitting on a stool by the counter, holding onto the counter, keeled over.

"Jerry!!" she cried, shocked, "Did you give Tucker a Cadoanian Malt!?"

The bartender nodded, grimacing. "I didn't think it would have an effect on him like this... He should be fine within a few hours, I hope. What a lightweight..."

"Well, DUH, he's never had a beer before! Where he comes from the age limit is 21, kupo!!" She was quite mad, and stared, hurt, at Jeremiah, though he was only trying to help.

Tucker was muttering something, while rocking back and forth, and his glasses were all fogged up Apparently it was some powerful beer. "Oooooo... Everything looks like hyperspace, man... Bartenders c-can't be trusted... I can see my house from here, n00bs..."

She took Tucker's hand. "Can you hear me!?"

Tucker struggled to stand on his feet. "Y-yes... What's your name again, man?" he said, loopy as an Ahriman in a hurricane.

"MOLLY!! I'm Molly! Snap out of it!"

"Molly... Woooooot. Dat's tiiiight. Ye need to, like, blast dis d00d with yer magik spellz... Bartenderz can't beh trussssted... Hooooo-wieeeeer..."

She slapped him as hard as she could, turning his head to the side and silencing many rowdy bar customers. "Snap out of it NOW!" A Beastmaster sitting nearby chuckled to himself. _Lightweight has to learn the hard way,_ he thought.

Tucker was speechless for almost a minute. He let go of the counter, straightened his glassed out, laid a hand on his red cheek and stared down at the angry Moogle girl.

"You ssslapped me..." he choked. "Traitor, you are a traitor... You slapped me in the face! Why... the fffuck did you saahlap me in the face!?" He almost fell over backward, but grabbed the stool behind him for support.

_Poor kid,_ thought Jeremiah, feeling bad for starting this in the first place.

Molly stared up at the foreign boy, almost ready to cry. The full realization of what she had done hit her. Drunk as he was, Tucker still looked up to Molly, and it was obvious he desperately needed her help, and knew it well and clear...

"I'm... I'm sorry I slapped you, Tucker..." she slowly said.

"No yerrr not! Traitor! You saahapped me! Witch! Wiiiiiitch!! OooooooOoOo..."

"What!? Tucker! You're drunk as a Malboro on Ice Flan, kupopo!!"

His face went red. "I'll kkkeeeell you witch! M00gle!" He lunged for her and tried to deliver a right hook to her face. She easily dodged, as he was drunk and a horrible brawler. He followed with a wild uppercut, but she didn't even have to move and he missed, losing his balance and falling to the floor, face down.

By now, everyone had stopped what they were doing to watch the spectacle, and seeing the lightweight on the ground, drunk as a Malboro on Ice Flan as Molly had put it, was too much. _Everyone_ in the bar laughed hysterically, some falling out of their chair. The only exceptions were Molly, who was in tears, Jeremiah the bartender (who went back to polishing the counter as if nothing happened), and a very worried Grizwald, who noted that both Molly and Tucker had a lot to learn.

Tucker flailed around on the ground, continuing to make a fool of himself, then got up. "Stop laughing!!" he bellowed. "STOP LAUGHING NOW!! _Stop it stop it stop it stop it!!!_" This only made them laugh harder. He charged at a nearby Bangaa and tried to sock him in the face. Anything to make him stop laughing.

The Bangaa easily blocked his assault, then popped him in the eye with his own fist. "Eassy there, lightweight, let'ss not get anyone hurt," he mocked, doubling over once more. Tucker staggered backwards and fell against the counter, hitting the back of his head. He was in tears and red in the face... not from anger, from embarassment. The lager had begun to burn out, and the punch to the face helped to snap him out of his stupor. Now he felt mortified.

Molly took his hand. "Come on..." she said quietly, "Let's just get out of here... kupo..."

Tucker said nothing as he staggered out of the Pub with Molly towing him along like a child.


	13. Gains and Losses

Chapter 13 - _Gains and Losses

* * *

_

"Leave me alone," Tucker quietly asked of his friend. "Please. I don't deserve your company." He sat on a wooden bench near the fountain in Baguba Square, head in his hands, trying to recollect his senses. Molly sat next to him, her new Rod in her lap.

"Tucker, I won't leave your side."

"I'm a drunk bastard, leave me alone." His tone was flat and cold.

She put a hand on his shoulder. He didn't bat it away, which was good... "Tucker, kupo... I'm sorry for bringing you here for this to happen to you. I take the blame. But... I can't send you back until my friend fixes the Rod I broke, and even then I'm not sure what I need to do, kupo..." No response from Tucker. He was motionless.

Molly leaned her head against his shoulder. "Please forgive me... I'm sorry... kupo... I'll do anything to make up for bringing you here against your will..."

"I'm fine," Tucker said in his flat tone.

"No!" Molly suddenly lost control. "No it's not fine! You're stuck here because I don't know how to control my kupo magic! Then I take you to the Pub and what happens? And who's fault is all of this!?" She burst into tears, sobbing, on her knees in front of the bench, her head rest against the seat. "Kupo... I'm a horrible Mage... and a horrible friend... I... I'm..." She broke down.

"Molly." Tucker looked at her... Her sudden outburst was starting to break through to him. "Molly... I forgive you..."

"You're just saying that..."

"How can I prove it? I'll do anything. Seriously."

"I don't... know, kupo... I don't know anything anymore..."

"You're not horrible. You never were. You didn't force me to get my ass drunk back there and make a fuckin' _idiot_ out of myself. That was on me..." He sat up and looked at her. "Now I have to live with that on my conscience and record... But I don't want you beating yourself up about it. You're a wonderful friend who means well, and you didn't do anything regrettable. ...And you're the only friend I got."

"...Friend..."

"Yes. And I so deserved that slap back there for being so damn drunk. I don't hold anything against you, Molly."

"Tucker... sniff Thank you..." She crawled up and squeezed Tucker as hard as she could, still teary-eyed. He returned the embrace, grateful beyond words to have Molly close by.

"Hey."

"Yeah, kupo?"

"Let's go make the most out of the rest of our day."

"Oh... Okay, kupo... What did you have in mind?" She was beginning to feel better.

"Well, my suit should be done by now... I dunno, you know the city better than I do... Just, no more Pubs." He smiled faintly, and Molly laughed a little, nodding.

"Okay... I'll show you the rest of the city then. How about that? We can go inside any place you want to see the inside of, kupo."

He stood up, and almost fell over again. "Aaah... Damn alcahol..." Apparently it hadn't worn off yet.

Molly took his hand to give him a sense of balance. "Careful, kupo..." They walked to the tailor, who had been getting impatient for their return. He duly handed Tucker his new outfit, and Tucker stepped behind a curtain to try it on. It fit perfectly. He looked at himself in the mirror, loving what he saw. It was a blue tunic with a layer of green underneath, the blue split in a V down the middle to reveal the green part, and the suit was loose, sort of like a robe but not quite, coming with a black leather belt. This was one of those outfits that could match _any_ Job class.

He stepped out of the booth. "You're a pro, you know that?" he told the tailor.

"After 20 years I kinda figured that, kupo." He smirked at them as they waved and walked out of the shop for the final time, Tucker clad in his new outfit.

Waiting for them were four of the tougher guys from the Pub incident. "Well, look who it iss," a Bangaa Warrior in the group announced right as Tucker and Molly walked out of the tailor. It was apparently the same Bangaa that Tucker had attacked, as he had the same malicus jagged smile and alcahol-stained armor and bracers. His buddies consisted of a Beastmaster, a Fighter and a Gladiator. Immediately the Warrior grabbed Tucker by the shoulders and thrust him into his ring of buddies before he knew what hit him.

Molly gasped. "What the heck!? Kupopo, let him go!"

_This is NOT a typical day,_ Tucker thought.

"I don't think I will," the Warrior laughed. "He wantss to fight, I'll give him ssome fun." The others laughed.

"You know what you are, kupo!?" Molly shouted at the Warrior, "You're the stupidest, most cowardly lizard I've ever met!"

The others stopped laughing. "What..."

"You're less than a lizard, kupo..." she said in a quivering, low tone. "You're a half-developed, unhatched _salamander_ whose mother was a gypsy-cursed Lamia."

Whoa. That was good even by Tucker's standards.

The Warrior was so stunned, he dropped the Restorer sword he was holding. Immediately Tucker rolled underneath the thugs' legs and swiped up the Restorer, was on his feet and let the Bangaa have it with a four-step combo he knew from his time playing and observing from the Legend of Zelda series. He performed the combo almost perfectly, fire blazing in his eyes.

The other thugs aimed to stop him and advanced. Molly was too quick for them. "Blizzaga!" she called, waving her hand and thrusting it forward. Frozen energy spiraled around them, engulfing them before a huge glacier erupted in the middle of the group, sending them flying and covered with ice shards.

The Warrior was on his knees from Tucker's combo, but got up and attacked Tucker with Body Slam, throwing his body into Tucker's faster than he could react. This knocked Tucker to the ground and the Restorer went flying out of his hands, Tucker being not used to using an actual sword. The Warrior went to get it, but Tucker turned his backwards fall into a roll, swooped up the sword and was instantly on his feet. He attacked the Bangaa with a two-step upward-swinging combo, coming at him faster than the other one had. The Bangaa slumped to the ground, KOed.

Molly cast Thundara at the other three thugs to keep them on the ground. "Stay down, kupo!" she warned. They turned their heads to their fallen pack leader.

"Nobody will help you now," Tucker said slyly. "I never meant to start up any kind of conflict, but I have no qualms about slaying any of you if I must." His eyes narrowed. He spoke imitating the dialouge from sly anti-heroes he'd heard from the various RPGs he played in his life. "Now get out of my sight."

The other three got to their feet and took off like frightened puppies.

Molly looked up at Tucker, and in turn Tucker looked down at her. The two smiled, then burst out laughing.

"Damn, we sure showed them who's boss!" Tucker exclaimed.

"You're good with the sword, kupo," Molly noticed. "Maybe you should start out as a Soldier."

"Well, actually I only used the sword because it was available." Tucker looked at the Restorer in his hands. "But you know... geez, it did feel pretty good..."

"So, where were we before those bullies came after us, kupo?"

"Oh right. You were going to show me around this wonderful city."

"Sure thing, let's go!" She hurried around a corner, and Tucker followed the energetic Moogle.

Tucker saw it all: the museum, the Airport, the General Store, the old Gaol Mansion, and then some. Curiosity poured out of him, eager to learn more about the land of Ivalice and its history. He asked Molly tons of questions, and she did her best to answer them. They talked as they walked through the streets of Baguba, putting the Pub incident completely out of their minds and having a wonderful time.

It was getting dark, and near the end of the tour they stopped by a dance club.

"Wanna go in?" Tucker asked her, a twinkle in his eye.

"Oh my, kupo... I don't dance so well..." she said nervously.

"There's nothing to it. I do this all the time. Just follow my lead and you'll be good."

"Well, if you say so, kupo..." They went in.

The room was fired up with scrolling rainbow lights and upbeat music as Humans, Moogles, Viera, Bangaa and Nu Mou alike partied the night away with fancy footwork and smooth moves. "Come on!" Tucker said enthusiastically, jumping into the middle of the room and displaying some very fast-paced footwork.

Some of the dancers backed up a little to give him some room and watch him. He closed his eyes and let his feet do the talking, mimicing one of his favorite DDR songs on Heavy Mode in time to the music. It was nothing to him, as he had played the song many times and had been a finalist in a statewide DDR tournament. Excited remarks and kupos came from the crowd as they watched this new style of dancing they had not seen before.

As he danced, Tucker began to feel a little sad... He was in a universe far away from his own, with no apparent way to get back, no way to contact his friends... or his mom, or two younger sisters... He never thought he'd miss his sisters, but he did just the same... The mimicked DDR session he was having had reminded him about the world he was so used to.

He opened his eyes, and there was Molly, beside him on the dancefloor, mimicing his footwork as best she could. "Kupo, how am I doing?" she asked excitedly.

Tucker beamed, shoving his loneliness out of his mind for the time being. "You're doing awesome! But you're not on Heavy Mode yet."

Some Moogles and Vieras came over and started dancing like the two of them, watching their foot movements for a pattern and, finding one, dancing the night away. Pretty soon everyone in the club was doing that dance, really enjoying themselves.

"I wish I could go and join them, kupo," the Moogle drummer said to his fellow musicians as they kept playing the upbeat music.

Tucker suddenly had an inspiration, jumping to the top of the stage and throwing his arms high in the air. The crowd cheered but didn't know what he was getting at. They crowded close to the stage, and Tucker made his move.

"MOOOOOSH PIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!" he yelled, leaping maniacally into the thick crowd of party animals. Instantly they gasped and scattered, leaving Tucker to slam into the ground face-first. His glasses flew off his face. The music stopped instantly, and everyone stared at him as he slowly peeled himself off the floor and stood up, picking up his glasses.

There was an awkward silence, even from Molly.

Then Tucker burst out laughing. Everyone else in the club took the cue and followed his example, including Molly, who ran up to Tucker to make sure he was okay.

"What was _that_ stunt for, kupo?"

"Damn, I've always wanted to do that... You don't have Mosh Pits in Ivalice?"

"Nope..." Molly braced herself for another fascinating story.

"In my world, when you're in a Mosh Pit, a dude jumps from the top of the stage and lands in the arms of the crowd, who pass him down the crowd... No real reason for it other than a party trick at rock concerts and the like. I've been to many concerts before in New York but usually it's a big fat guy who gets to do it... plus it's illegal..."

Molly smiled and closed her eyes. "I think you're beyond me, kupo..."

They danced some more until it was very late in the night and everyone was very tired, except for Molly who was simply wound up. As Tucker lumbered out of the club, along with many others, Molly literally ran circles around him.

"This is the best night of my life, kupokupokupo!!"

Tucker sat down on a bench nearby, panting. "You have too much energy for me..." He didn't usually tire out from DDR moves, but that night he had explored more dance styles as well from some of the Viera and humans. He felt alive, but it took the wind out of him.

Molly whirled around and collapsed on the bench next to Tucker. "Woooo, you're right... I should... calm down... kupo..."

They stared up at the cloudless night sky for a while. It was speckled with stars in formations Tucker was not used to. He thought about home again, and about Mom and his twin sisters...

"What's wrong?" Molly noticed the expression on his face, which looked lonely.

"Oh, it's just..." He trailed off. "I miss home is all..."

Molly felt sad too. After all it was her fault that he was here...

Suddenly Tucker laughed a little. "Funny... It's only my first day here and I'm already thinking about going home. Maaaaan."

"Why is that funny, kupo?"

"You'd think I'd want to stay in a world like this longer... I dunno. I just think it's kind of funny, don't you?"

"Well..." Molly said softly, "...I brought you here, kupo, so it's my responsibility to send you home. But I'll be sad to see you go..."

"Yeah, you know... I'll be sad to leave. But I'll be happy to see my friends and family again too... And I'll never forget the cool times we had together today."

They laid there under the stars without saying a word for what seemed like a long time.

Then Molly got up. "I should be getting home, kupo... I'm reeeeeally late, and Mom's probably worried to death about me."

"No problem," Tucker said. "I'll just be sleeping right here if you need me." He laid down on the hard bench, pulling out his folded up "i p0wn n00bz" shirt as a pillow.

"Kupo, outside like this? You can crash at my place..."

"All the beds would be too small. You're a Moogle, ya know." He closed his eyes, smiling faintly and yawning. "Besides, it's warm out tonight..."

"Well, okay, kupo... But I'll tell Mom to let you in if you change your mind."

"Goodnight Molly."

"Goodnight Tucker."

She headed off into the night, looking back worriedly one more time at the drifting-off Tucker to try and convince herself she'd be alright. He was already asleep, or at least appeared that way. She made her way home.

* * *

"Mom, I'm home!" Molly called, feeling a little tired herself at this point. No answer. There were no lights on in the house.

"Mom?"

She could hear crying in the darkness. Immediately she was scared... What was going on?

She turned on a lamp nearby. Mom was at the table, her head in her hands, weeping softly. But at least she appeared to be physically unhurt. There was a paper on the table in front of her.

Molly slowly walked up to her. "What's... What's wrong, Mom?"

Mom turned to her daughter, her furry face wet with tears. She hesitated, apparently pained by the thought of telling her daughter the news. But Molly had a concerned look on her face, and it would be wrong to keep her in the dark...

"I got news on someone... far away, honey..."

"Omigosh, kupopo! Is the clan hurt!?"

"No." Mom closed her eyes. "Someone else."

The realization hit her like a bullet to the heart. "Dad..."

"Molly... His body... was found in the Jagds an hour ago..."

"He's not dead! Don't say that! He's NOT DEAD!!"

Mom reached out and hugged her tightly. Molly struggled for a moment but then gave up, returning the hug, realizing at last what they meant when they said what a dangerous place the world was.

She would never see her father again.


	14. The Hunted

Chapter 13 - _The Hunted_

It had been a slightly shorter trip back to Sierra Gorge on the way back, not counting the several engagements made to them by bandits and even restless monster clans on the way. It seemed like, now that Clan Indigo had a Panther-pulled caravan simply _loaded_ with rare minerals trudging behind them, everyone wanted a piece of the Indigo Pie to win what they could from engagements against them. As if Clan Indigo has a big flashing sign above them saying **"Engage us, we're rich!"** Even so, it had only taken them five days, rather than six; it was almost as if the encouraging thoughts of being able to return home soon with some metal trophies of bartership gave them the strength to press on harder.

Above all, Yinns was beginning to worry about Molly. He looked forward to seeing her finish mastering her two Black Mage spells and move on to Time Magic, but he also knew she could get lonely and depressed without her clanners to talk to, especially for such a long period of time. He justifiedly had no idea what Molly could've gotten herself into since they'd been gone, at least not on the magnitude of what she actually ended up bringing about, with her overheated Rod incident past her...

"Well guys, this is where I turn off," Mickey said as they pulled to a halt in front of split paths. "I had a good one, travellin' with you guys, even though quite frankly you suck at cross-country voyages..."

"That'ss from an exxpert'ss persspective," Alastor pointed out. During the long trip, Mickey and Alastor had gotten into many arguments, as neither of them appreciated having their views challenged yet they were doing it to one another all the time. Mickey was just about to respond when they heard gunshots from further up the mountain. Birds flew from their roosts in the trees when they heard the startling noise.

"Well, I'll be, it's those chicken bastard poachers again..." Mickey brooded, scowling and staring in the direction she heard the gunfire. They heard it again, and the sounds of cheering. Mickey drew one of her daggers. "Ohhhh... _They're gonna get it_..." Her face reddened and her eyes scowled as if she were a demoness enjoying a delicious soul. Everyone else jumped, startled... This girl did NOT like Poachers, to put it as lightly as possible.

"W-We'll come with you, kupo," Yinns told her, regardless of her frightening visage. This led to various remarks of discontent and disapproval from his clanners. He turned to them. "What's wrong? Mickey has saved our hides countless times during this kupo journey... I say we owe it back to her to help her out, kupo. I know we're almost home, but..."

Alastor sighed, and his Chocobo looked worriedly at its rider, sensing its rider's emotions clearly. Chocobos were known for that kind of a bond with those they transported, even rental ones. "Yinnss, Mickey iss more than capable of fighting them all on her own, as sshe hass made quite clear on thiss trip, and I jusst want to ssee the treehousse again as ssoon as posssible."

"Argue all you want, I don't have your time to waste," Mickey told them, starting up the steep trail that would lead her to the plateau of Sierra Gorge parallel to the steep canyon further in. She looked like a G.I. in her black suit, knife quiver belt and thick hunting boots.

Yinns sighed and started after her, his Cat Claws equipped.

"W-Where the hell are you going!?" Alastor demanded. "God damn you, Moogle! Get back h--"

Theodore put a large, grey hand on the Defender's armored shoulder. "Let him go if he wants. He never commanded you to follow him. But I will." He started after his fearless leader. Alastor's eye twiched involuntarily. _He will?_

"Maybe he wants me to recon again," April wondered, following them all up the steep trail on her Chocobo. "Guess my job isn't done, hee hee..." She seemed content and even cheerful.

Alastor looked about ready to cry.

Elliot bowed his head for a moment, stared at the caravan left under his and Alastor's guard, then turned to Alastor. "We sshould really follow them..."

Alastor was silent and shocked... and then, not knowing what else to do, made a sad chuckle that sounded like a cough. It was the Bangaa's way of saying 'Pff'. "I'm sso freaking ssick and tired of Yinnss's pathetic, reckless, sselfish desscissionss," he said, his voice shaky either from fatigue or fury.

"Sselfish? He'ss doing thiss for Mickey, not himsself. You jusst want to be done with thiss trip. I think you're the sselfish one..."

Alastor stared at his Bangaa brother in the clan, not speaking a word and clearly hurt. But no more hurt than he was at Yinns for everything in existance...

Elliot continued. "Perhapss you sshould sspend ssome time in prayer about your actionss, brother Bangaa... I'll go with you, however. We cannot rissk the ssafety of the caravan in battle with the poacherss." He pointed his Snake Staff towards the other path, which was the "low path" of the two, and the Panther-pulled caravan took the cue and began to follow him.

Alastor began to follow the caravan, and as he did, he felt his heart turn to ebony...

* * *

"Rurrrrrrur..."

The wild Blue Panther struggled hard to stay on his feet, but gave up due to exhaustion and collapsed. It had several arrow and bullet wounds in various spots on its body, including a shot to the vitals that had slowed its escape down to half its speed. It was no match for a group of five poachers, that now closed in around it to finish it off...

BAM. One shot to the head by the Moogle Gunner and it fell for good.

"Nice work, mate," one of the Hunters said in a foreign accent, examining the kill. "That's two. Go fer one more?"

"That ain't on my agenda," said a female voice from behind. The poachers turned, just in time for the Hunter who had spoke to take an arrow to the jaw. Shocked and in immense pain, he clutched his face, falling over, and the other poachers opened fire at the Panther-riding Huntress with their advanced bows and guns.

Riding her Panther, she was too fast to be hit. She ran to the side, then zigzagged towards the troupe, firing back at them with her own massive Bow like some sort of speed goddess. Her aim was almost perfect; the ones that did happen to miss were due to the poachers' frantic dodging, forcing them into vulnerable positions for the next shot. Mickey fought this battle like a split-second, lethal game of Chess, every move plotted way in advance but with everything at stake at any given moment.

The battle continued on, and the enraged Panther rider steered her beast close enough to the Gunner for melee combat, pulling out a Tonberrian and letting him have it in the neck. The vital wound KOed him in one hit, and with no Judge handy, the Gunner's chances of any future battles didn't look so hot. Mickey felt absolutely no remorse.

But while recovering from attacking, Mickey took a hit in the ribs from a Sniper arrow. She looked down at the wound, seeing a black-as-night arrow in her side.

"Death Sickle... Aww fuck..."

No Judge handy, and a Death Sickle direct hit meant she didn't have long to be alive without her allies handy. Death, however, was not an issue for her. She would take the Poachers down with her, no exceptions.

She circled around again, firing shots as she did so, but the pain from the arrow slowed her down and she started taking more hits. Eventually Stopshot got her again, knocking her off the Panther and sending her into deep stasis. "I really should have bought protection from that. Game over," was her final thought. Moments later, Death Sickle caught up to her, mentally devouring her for the now-lethal KO.

The poachers checked their wounds. "Ah well, wasn't _too_ bad I s'pose... Blimey, she was one tough broad..."

"Kupo! Hands up!" Yinns and his clan, minus two Bangaa, stood twenty feet away.

"Oh for the love of..."

"Attack!" Yinns commanded. "Someone give Mickey a Phoenix Down while you're at it, kupo! And hurry before it's too late-- this is just like a Jagd engagement, kupo!!"

His news intensified the fight for his allies, increasing their will to win. Not only for the sake of the Clan, but for their fallen friend Mickey's.

The three of them seperated and began attacking, April with her long-range Fey Bow assault, Theodore with attacks like Fira and Thundara (he was careful to conserve his mana), and Yinns with his close-range yet nimble weapons, the Cat Claws. Yinns also used his speed and reflexes to dodge incoming fire, not perfectly, but well enough. Unlike Mickey he was wearing protection against Stopshot, so when the other Gunner plugged him with said move he merely shrugged off the minor pain.

They made short work of the already wounded poacher troupe, reviving Mickey near the end of the fight, thankfully within her mortal time-limit. She immediately checked her Panther, who was also alright.

"Damn, I may have bit off more than I could chew... Thanks friends," she said to them. "Shit... If it weren't for your help I'd... Wow... I honestly don't know what to say this time. I feel completely humbled, and kinda pissed at myself..."

"No problem, kupo. I learned in the Air Force... You _just don't_ leave your war allies to die." The authority in which he said that was unexpected to the others. They grinned "I take it you don't need help getting home, kupo?"

"...You take it correctly." They shook hands. "Guess this part's the _real_ goodbye, heh. Drop by if you're ever in the area again, got it?"

"Sure thing! Take it easy, kupo."

"Ha! Never!" And with that, she rode off towards a familiar waterfall ridge that would take her to her cabin at the peaks of Sierra Gorge.

Yinns turned to April. "Good fighting out there, April. Can you lead us to Alastor and the caravan, kupo?"

April nodded. "Tracking's my specialty, hee hee," she announced sweetly. "That's why I joined the fray... I always have to be handy to save the day!"

* * *

Meanwhile, the caravan was halfway to Nargai Cave, led by a triumphant Alastor riding the lead Panther, his Bishop comrade conveniently tied up with a spare bungee cord, gagged, and stuffed in the back of the wagon.

Alastor chewed on a bit of Jerky as he rode. "Now. _Thiss_... iss the life," he declared happily. "I'm finally going home, sscrew that sso-called chewtoy of a leader Yinnss."

Greedy thoughts raced through his mind. "Hmm... I could realisstically ssell all the Mythril in the caravan for mysself and be rich. Yess, I think that iss what I'll do. Now I need a way to get rid of Elliot sso he won't talk..."

He smiled as his mind went over the possibilities. He should have done this ages ago.


	15. The Prison of Grief

Chapter 14 - _The Prison of Grief_

"...Mmmm..."

Tucker woke up at around four o'clock in the morning and things were still dark. The streets were empty and quiet, and after the hustle of last night it felt kinda nice for the young man. Tucker lay there with his eyes open, feeling the coolness of the morning and the peace of silence, for an unknown amount of time. The air was thick with morning mist, which cleared his head...

Something wasn't right. The sound of his breathing wasn't in sync with his actual breathing.

Then he realized the breathing sounds were coming from a fast-asleep Molly, who was seated on the paved ground beside the bench, her back leaning against one of the bench's legs by Tucker's head. '_What is she doing here?'_ Tucker thought, confused and a little worried. '_She must have come back while I was asleep, but I don't see why she wouldn't want to sleep in her own bed...'_

Tucker rubbed the grainy crusts out of his eyes, then slowly sat up. He hadn't slept very well, but that was to be expected, he decided, since he was still adjusting to living in another universe. He stared at the sleeping Molly. She looked like an angel... She had a heart purer than any girl he had ever known from his own world, and she was so innocent and kind... Even when she had slapped him in the bar last night, he never sensed or felt any kind of hate in her heart. Frustration, maybe, but nothing truly dark in any sense.

Tucker decided to let her sleep some more. He sat on the bench, motionless, thinking of all he had done and experienced the day before. It boggled his mind. The fact that he was HERE boggled his mind. That a world like this could exist. He had played many Final Fantasy games in the past, and now he was living one of them. But this couldn't possibly be a dream or a hallucination... He was still sore from the spear wound and being punched in the face last night by the treehouse and in the Pub respectively.

That reminded him. He needed to choose a Job class. He seemed to do well with the sword he was using last night, and Soldiers were the ones when it came to swords... But swords were such a stereotypical "hero" weapon in all the RPGs he had played...

This wasn't an RPG, this was real. And maybe he _was_ a hero.

He decided on Soldier. He could always change later, he decided.

Molly stirred. Tucker didn't know how long he had been sitting in place, lost in thought... The sky was brighter than before, so it must've been a while. Tucker, still on the bench, looked down at Molly as she opened her eyes and looked around.

Then she let out a long kupo and leaned against the leg of the bench she had been sleeping against. She stared at the ground, only occasionally blinking, no smile nor frown on her face. There was a very distant, very lonely look in her eyes.

Tucker knew something was wrong.

"Hey," he said. There was no sound to be heard in the area except for Tucker's voice.

Molly didn't respond.

Tucker sat down on the ground next to Molly and looked at her, trying to hide his concern. "Wanna talk?"

There was a long pause before she replied. "No."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No I am not." She spoke in a lower, perhaps older tone of voice than yesterday. Tucker didn't understand if this change was just a Moogle thing or if his mind was playing tricks on him. He didn't really know what to think anymore, being sent to Ivalice like this and all.

"Well, whatever it is, I'm sorry it happened to you."

"Thank you."

That was something, at least. But Tucker was still concerned... So Molly wasn't actually mad at him, but she was so... serious sounding...

"You sure you don't wanna tell me?"

"You wouldn't get it." Was it just him, or had she not said 'kupo' once since they had woken up?

"You're right, I won't get it..." he answered, settling on the truth. "There's tons of things I won't get while I'm here, if you remember. Since I'm from a foreign universe. Sorry I asked, Molly." He spoke with total sincerity, no sarcasm, and Molly knew it. And Tucker saw that she knew it. Both of them knew about a special connection they shared, even though whatever it was Molly was going through was seemingly standing between them right then...

They both said nothing for a long time. They just sat next to each-other, staring straight ahead.

After a seemingly endless amount of time, Molly broke the silence again. "Tucker..."

"Yeah?" He looked earnestly at her.

"In your world, were you close to your family members at all?"

"Well," he chuckled quietly, "I fought a lot with my two sisters and sometimes my mom would call me crazy... but yes, we were pretty close." He sighed, remembering his family clear as day. "My youngest sister Gene... I would get on Halo after dinner and she'd go into my room and say "Tucker, you nerd, you have no life!" And I'd always go "Raaawr!" And we'd laugh... Then there were the Saturday Yahtzee Nights... We'd have those when Dad came over from New York City..." Tucker leaned back and closed his eyes. "I didn't get to see my dad very often..."

"Me neither," she replied in a low voice. "Dad was a merchant." Tucker looked over at her and saw a very hurt expression. But she didn't seem hurt at Tucker... It was something else.

"How long has it been since you've seen him?" Tucker slowly asked.

The response was time delayed as Molly thought over whether to tell him. Then she answered, "Eight moons."

Tucker calculated. 160 days... That would've been over half a year in his world. "And I suppose looking for him would be out of the question? Or..."

Suddenly, Molly looked down at the ground and broke down, shaking with sobs. Horrified, Tucker put a comforting arm around her as she leaned her head against his chest. Her next words, he somehow could distantly sense long before she had told him.

"He's... He's dead, Tucker..."

He said nothing. He sat there, comforting the aching young Moogle as best he could just by being there for her. What could he say? He's never had his dad die on him, or his mom or sisters for that matter. To say he knew how she felt would be a lie. It was at that moment that Tucker realized he had been taking everything truly precious to him for granted... His family loved him very much, and he loved his family back in return, but every day that he spent in front of the computer or TV screen, enveloped by an online game or some popular Sony or XBox title, was one more day lost to him that he could've been talking with Mom, or playing a card game with Gene, or writing a letter to Grandma in Wisconsin, as people didn't last forever...

He found himself crying right alongside Molly. Maybe his family hadn't died off at all... but isolation could be considered a kind of death in itself, and it was _Tucker's_ doing... In this way, maybe he _could_ feel Molly's pain...

They sat like that for a long time, Molly pouring out all her feelings...

"Tucker, I'm so scared... I'll never see him again, a-and... I didn't even get to say goodbye... Same with the clan... They're somewhere in Ivalice, Famfrit only knows where... I don't know if they're safe or not... I-If they... die too I'll... I'll..."

Tucker squeezed her tightly. "Molly. They won't die." That was a lie. He didn't know if they were safe or not. Anything to make Molly feel better. Anything. This killed him.

Molly looked up at Tucker's comforting face. "Please, Tucker... Don't go. You're all I have. I can't... think about you leaving me... Not now..."

Tucker didn't know what to do or say. This was a surprise. Molly was so important to Tucker... He didn't want to hurt her any more than she already was, but she might've been asking too much. He didn't know. His mind was racing in a powerful torrent of emotions. It was so hard to think or concentrate...

"Molly, I don't have to go yet. It won't be for a while, you said so yourself, remember?"

"But... You'll have to go _eventually..._"

"Well... We can make the most out of the time we have together, can't we?"

She wiped the tears from her eyes and heaved a big sigh. "Yeah, I guess we can... I just... I just hope I'm ready to deal with it when the time comes."

"Molly, I wish I knew what to say to make it all better. Really. I'm so sorry..."

She stood up. She had stopped crying, thankfully to Tucker, but there was still that cold, lonely expression in her eyes. "Tucker, you're the last person who'd need to apologize."

He stood up as well. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a glorious golden light over the architectural masterpiece of Baguba. While they had done their thing, apparently other people were starting to wake up, and now there were an assortment of people wandering the streets of the city, albeit paying little or no attention to the pair. Just a typical early morning in the city of Baguba.

"So," Molly asked him, looking up at Tucker from her small height, "whaddya wanna do?" She still didn't say kupo, Tucker noticed.

"Breakfast." He didn't even have to think about it.

"Good idea. Mom should make something nice for us."

They headed towards Molly's house, but didn't talk like they had yesterday. There was something about silence that was poetic and meaningful in its own way, besides after a moment like a bit ago Molly had no emotional strength for holding a conversation.

* * *

"I'm home, Mom."

Molly walked into the house, Tucker close behind. Tucker had to be careful inside the house as to not hit his head on low doorways, as the house was built for Moogles rather than humans.

Mom was in the exact same position as she was last night when Molly found her and learned the news. She was staring straight ahead, blinking only occasionally, as Molly had been when she woke up next to Tucker early that morning.

Molly came up and gave her a hug, and that broke the spell. Mom turned to her daughter and returned the embrace, then got up. "You two want some breakfast, kupo?" _She_ still said kupo, Tucker mentally noticed. But Mom was much more emotionally mature than Molly was and was more capable of handling crises such as this.

Molly nodded. "I'll even help you make it."

"Oh, kupo, you don't need to do that..." Mom said, sighing. "Here, I'll cook for you and your friend Tucker. What would you two like, kupo?"

"Tucker, you have any favorites? I'll just have what you're having."

Tucker thought a moment. "You guys don't have breakfast cereals, do you? That's my favorite." He was still thinking about the incident, but it made him feel better to ask for breakfast... It reminded him of his world, where Mom would serve the breakfast every morning, something which was quite important to her.

Mom chose her answer carefully, knowing from her discussion with Molly the previous day that Tucker was from another universe. In reality she felt a little awkward around him. "Well, probably not the kind you're used to, kupo... You mean porridge, right? Or no?"

Tucker frowned. "Err, no... The good stuff like Count Chocula and Cookie Crisp."

For a very brief moment, some of the old Molly shone through. She restrained a giggle and the starry look in her eyes. This warmed Tucker's heart, though he was silent about the matter.

Mom got a puzzled look on her face at his mention of those two American favorites. "Cookie Crisp, kupo? It has a nice ring to it, but I'm positive I've never heard of such a thing..."

"Oh. It's like little chocolate-flavored... uh, discs... that look and taste like chocolate chip cookies... And you put them in a bowl, dump milk into the bowl, and eat it with a spoon."

"Kupopo, that's outrageous! Cookies for breakfast!?" she cried, failing to grasp the concept.

Tucker felt like he was just in part of a TV commercial. "Not REAL cookies... It's hard to explain... Ah what the hell, porridge won't hurt either."

"Right, kupo. We don't eat dessert first at _our_ house," she said with a laugh. Tucker laughed with her, but it was an uneasy laugh.

_"What a strange world he lives in,"_ thought Mom.

Within minutes the porridge was ready, and the two ate. Molly said nothing. Tucker wasn't as silent. "Wow. This is GOOD."

"Kupo, you flatter me," Mom said with a laugh.

"No no, I mean it. I usually hate this stuff. Like, what did you DO to it? Wow..."

"Oh. Well, thank you then... I'm going to my room now, kupo. You two feel free to do whatever you want." She started to leave for her room.

"Wait... Aren't you gonna eat something?" Tucker asked.

Mom sighed. "No. Not in the mood." And she was gone behind the bedroom door.

Tucker and Molly ate silently, though silent wouldn't have been the best word choice, as Molly totally scarfed her meal down. Tucker had to give her credit, though-- she had probably not eaten dinner last night, seeing as how she got home real late and that's when she learned the horrible news about Dad.

She finished. "Wow, I was hungry."

"Yeah you were," Tucker agreed. "Easy does it next time; you're in no hurry are you?"

She sat on the couch. "No, not really."

"Think we can explore the town a little today like yesterday? You can show me the Koringwood path by the treehouse base..."

"Tucker, I don't have the energy."

He stopped. Ouch. Well, in her defense, her dad had died... But Tucker dearly missed the old Molly, and longed for her already...

"Alright. Or I could hang out here, that's fine too." He sat down on a comfy chair nearby the couch. "Let me think... You guys got any books?" He knew video games were out of the question, as he had learned there was no such thing as television in the world of Ivalice. He didn't read often, but he could get used to it, he decided. Besides, to make Molly feel better he would gladly go without his precious video games as long as he needed to.

"Books? What kind of books? I have _lots_ of books. ...A lot of them were gifts from Dad."

"Oh. ...S-Should I have not asked about the books?" Talking to Molly felt like walking on eggshells. Every little thing could remind her about her dad...

"You're fine, Tucker. I need to let it go, anyway. Everyone dies."

He was silent for a while. She just stared straight ahead at the wall. Then...

"Molly..."

"_I said everyone DIES!!_" She jumped to her feet, breathing hard as if she had just woken up from a horrible nightmare. It scared Tucker shitless. He just stared at her, as if she had just committed murderer...

Neither of them said anything for a good full minute as Molly calmed down again. She turned to Tucker. "I'm... I'm sorry... I'm going crazy or something..." She plopped back down on the couch, holding her head in her hands and rubbing her temples with her thumbs.

"It's alright, Molly."

"No. No it's not. I had no reason to snap at you."

"Yeah, but you're going through a bitch of a hardship."

"Tucker..." She looked up at him. "I didn't even get to say goodbye."

He stared back at her... He couldn't get over the look of emptiness in her once lively, vibrant black eyes. But he couldn't bring her dad back to life.

"..."

Defeated for now, he picked up a book from the end-table next to the chair he was in, and began to read, though he didn't pay much attention to the words. His mind was on Molly. _'Somehow... Somehow I will make it all better for you,'_ he thought. _'Nobody deserves this.'_

* * *

The lights had gone out in the house ten minutes ago and everyone was in bed. Tucker was on the couch in the front room. But he was wide awake, eyes wide open, mind racing at Mach 40.

He thought about his parents. About Dad. Dad who lived miles away in New York City. It was a 30-minute drive from there to the apartment he lived in with Mom and Gene and Cassandra... He used to visit a lot. Now his visits were rare and a bigger deal. Was that right? Hardly, Tucker thought. Why didn't they play Saturday night Yahtzee like they used to? Furthermore, would he ever get that chance again?

His thoughts led to Molly. Molly, who had brought him here through the space-time barrier, through freak accident... How quickly they developed a friendship, how much they had in common... And now it seemed all a distant memory as a colder, darker, perhaps even tortured Molly had emerged from what once was a spirited, loving girl.

Tucker heard breathing. He turned his head. Molly's silhouette was there; he couldn't see clearly in the darkness but he knew it was her.

"Yeah?" he said.

There was a pause before she spoke. "Tucker, I, um... Can you please sleep in my room? It'll take my mind off Dad."

"Oh, um... Sure. I can do that." He wondered how that worked and all, but he wasn't about to ask questions. If it would help Molly feel better, he'd do it. He got up and followed Molly through the small, dark hallway to her room at the end. They went in.

The room was pretty small, and had, as Molly had put it, LOTS of books. A small candle dimly lit the room with a flickering orange glow, allowing Tucker to look at some of the titles... There were books about flowers, weather, ghosts, people, places, Ivalice, other worlds, theories, tales of romance, comedy, tragedy... There were three bookshelves to hold it all. Three bookshelves completely filled with books.

"Yes, I've read them all," Molly answered his question without him saying it. "Except the nine at the very bottom of this shelf." She pointed. Tucker didn't bother to look at those ones. "...I'm saving them for when I need them."

"Saving them?"

"I'm sure your video games are fun no matter what, but with books you can never read one the same way twice."

Tucker sighed. "The video games were never that fun, actually..."

In the corner of the room was a low-down bed with a soft matress, Moogle-sized, so it was pretty small by Tucker's standards. On the wall above the bed was a picture of three Moogles, all looking very similar, one much smaller than the other two in a familiar violet and white tunic.

"That was me when I was four," Molly answered again. Tucker nodded.

On the wall adjacent to that wall were four several ornate, wooden shelves attached to the wall, and each shelf had a different theme. One had glass urns on it, one had small wooden carvings of Moogles and animals stood upright in a pattern, the third had the polished skull of a Chocobo, and the fourth, closest to Molly's bed, lay a beaten up magic wand.

"You sure like collecting things," Tucker noticed. Molly nodded.

Curiously, Tucker leaned over to look at the fourth shelf, with the Rod on it. It didn't look very useful, but Tucker could feel many memories and emotions associated with that Rod.

Molly sat on the bed, looking up at Tucker. "Don't... touch that one... That was my first weapon," she explained. "It was a gift from Yinns when I joined Clan Indigo and chose a Job class. He said I had huge potential."

Tucker said nothing for a while. Then he sat down on the only chair in the room, next to the bed. It was a slightly crowded room, but at this point he didn't mind. "And you don't know where Yinns and the clan is at all?"

Molly shook her head. "They're dead by now..."

"Don't say that."

"Okay. Sorry. But... My world is slipping away, Tucker... I lost Clivia instantaneously. Then I lost Dad just as fast. Things happen lightning-fast in this world, apparently. I should've seen it coming. And I will continue to lose and lose, until everything is gone..."

Silence. He had known about Clivia, just a bit. It must have pained her even more.

"At least when _you_ go, Tucker, it'll be through another wormhole instead of through death," she continued.

Tucker smiled faintly in the dim light. "You're right. I have too much to lose to die." He knew that now.

Suddenly, Molly stood up and removed the Rod from the shelf above her bed. Before Tucker knew what she was doing, she walked over and handed it to him.

Tucker stared, surprised. "Your Rod? But... that's..."

"I want you to have this, kupo."

Tucker froze. She said it! She said kupo! And her voice had changed back too... Had the old Molly come back?

As Molly continued, though, her voice was back to the dark version instead of the one he had known yesterday. "Though it will break my heart when you have to go... I still feel like we can be close if you take that with you. It's very special to me, and has my memories etched in it..."

Tucker held the Rod in his hands, looking down at it. Then he looked up at Molly. "Wow, I... Molly..."

Quick as lightning, Molly jumped into Tucker's arms and squeezed him harder than she ever had before. Tucker returned the embrace, not able to control the tears that flowed from his eyes. He said nothing else for a while.

"Thank you, Tucker. For everything..." Molly choked out. She kissed him on his right cheek.

"You're welcome," Tucker replied. "I'm glad I can be there for you."

They stayed like that for a long time, then Tucker realized she had fallen asleep in his arms. Carefully he stood up and carried Molly to her bed, tucking her in. He then pulled a folded up, green shirt from the one he was wearing-- the one that said "i p0wn n00bz" in computer-like lettering on the front-- laid it in front of him as a pillow, set his glasses next to him, and went to sleep on the floor. He fell asleep almost instantly.


	16. Tucker's Mission

Chapter 15 - _Tucker's Mission_

Molly woke up much later next morning than she did the previous morning. This made sense; she was pretty exhausted, both physically and emotionally, from the conversations and memories she was having last night. And about her connection with Tucker last night as well...

Speaking of Tucker, where was he?

She looked at the carpet floor... He had been sleeping there, for his shirt was there, folded up as a pillow, and the carpet had his silhouette imprinted in it from his lying there... But he was gone. And the door was open partially.

Molly climbed out of bed and changed from her pyjamas into her signature violet and white Time Mage tunic, and went to the front room. Mom was awake, a Moogle-sized mug of tea in front of her. "Good morning hun, kupo," she said when Molly came out.

"Mom, did you see where Tucker went?"

"No, but I heard him leave through the front door a few hours ago, kupo."

"And you didn't wake me up!?"

Mom frowned. "It... didn't occur to me that I should do that, kupo." Pause. "Hey, while you two were sleeping in the same room, you two didn't do anything... you know... did you?'

"He slept on the FLOOR, Mom," Molly said in a highly offended tone. "I can't believe you thought I would do that with him..."

"Alright, kupo, just checking. I still have to be protective of my daughter, you know. And there are some pretty horrible stories out there involving young Moogle girls, kupo."

"Tucker's NOT like that."

"Okay, hun. Sorry I went there with you."

They sat at the table for a while, an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air. Molly no longer felt close to her mom like she always had. In reality she felt closer to Tucker than anyone else she knew. She thought whether or not that was wrong or betraying or not... Either way, she couldn't help it. After last night, she couldn't help it.

"Hey Molly?" Mom asked, shattering the silence like a sheet of glass.

"Yeah Mom?"

"I'm joining the clan, kupo."

Molly stared at her, surprised and forgetting to answer at first. Then she smiled a little. "...Ha... Haha! Why the change of heart?"

"Because."

Well, that wasn't much of an answer... "...Because...?"

Mom sighed. "I don't know, kupo... I want to get more involved with your life than Dad did." Pause, while Molly tried to determine what exactly that meant. "Ever since you joined the clan, you've been gone from the house every day from morning until dinner, kupo... And I've been here at the house the whole time, waiting for a husband that never managed to return, missing out on seeing my daughter grow up. It... makes me a little sad to think about it, kupo..."

"Oh... Mom..." Molly hadn't thought about that much. She had felt close to Mom anyway, but she hung out with her clan more than with her family, and she even said herself, the clan was more like family to her than her actual family, as Dad was always gone across the country... Mom joining the clan could prove to be quite a positive turning point in Molly's relationship with her.

"I promise I won't use that to invade your life, kupo," she continued. "Most of my work will probably be done in that HQ you always talk about, kupo, maybe as the treasurer like you suggested once. But I'll need to know how the clan works, kupo... I only know a little bit of it, from your stories and from your dad."

"So you want a full lesson?" Molly asked.

Mom nodded. "If that's not too much trouble, kupo."

"No no, it's good. I'll be glad to teach you." Molly began telling her everything she knew about engagements, the Clan Wars, Missions, the different Job classes for each race, Abilities and how they were mastered... As she did, she began to feel the color start to fade back into her life, but only a little.

* * *

"Well, hello there, kupo!" the shopkeeper exclaimed when Tucker walked into the Baguba General Store with all the Gil remaining from two nights ago. "What can I do for you?"

"I need a Job change."

"Oh really, kupo? Not a problem! Let me see your card."

"Card?" Tucker's mind raced... He didn't have a card. "I, um, I'm jobless... I don't have a card."

"Oh! Well then, I'll issue one, kupo. I'll need your name, age, race and what city in Ivalice you live in, kupo." She pulled out a blank card from underneath the counter.

"Okay, let's see... Tucker, 18 years, Human of course, and Baguba for now."

The Moogle lass wrote the data on the card with a special pen, then she pulled out a gadget that looked kind of like a Pandora Box. "Look at the box, kupo," she said quickly. He did so, and instantly there was a bright flash from the box which blinded him for a moment. As Tucker would put it, he got "p0wned".

"Aaaaaah my eyes! ...What was _that??_ A camera?"

"No, kupo, it just etched a picture of you to add to the card." She opened the box and took out a tiny sketch of Tucker's face drawn on normal paper, stamping it to the card with a sealing device that looked like a stamp.

"Exactly, it was a camera." He smiled. "And that was a stamp of some sort..."

"If you say so, kupo... Now what Job would you like? Your options are Soldier, Archer, White Mage, Black Mage, and Thief."

"I'll take Thief." He didn't even have to think about it. He would have picked Soldier, but he was on a mission and a Thief's cunning and agility was necessary. He had this planned.

The Moogle shopkeeper stamped the card and handed it to Tucker. "Don't lose this now, kupo. It's your identification! Have you ever been a Thief before?" she asked, knowing the answer.

"Nope," Tucker stated simply. "Never been any Job class before." Was it just him, or was this process a _lot_ easier in video games?

"I'm required to ask, would you like to buy a Thief Manual to know the ins and outs of the job, kupo?"

"For how much?" He was skeptical.

"40 Gil."

"Fourty? I can afford that. I'll take it," he decided. "But I don't know how often I'll read it."

They exchanged money and manual. "That's up to you, kupo, but you may find it useful."

"Thanks." He started to leave...

"Wait!"

He turned around. "Yeah?"

"Aren't you going to buy weapons and armor, kupo?"

"Oh right. Ha! God I'm so dense." He laughed, returning to the counter. "Little nervous is all... I have a special mission to run today, plus I'm quite the rookie at all this..."

"You've been jobless up until now and you're running an advanced mission, kupo?"

"It's for a friend," he answered, careful about his choice of words. "And she doesn't know it yet."

"Nice, kupo," the Moogle said with a laugh. "So... you need Thief weapons and armor... May I recommend some, kupo?"

"You're the expert."

"I suppose I am," she said, bringing out a list of all she had in stock. "Let's see, kupo... Thieves use knives in battle. Most start with the Jack Knife, a weak weapon but it allows one to steal Gil in battle, kupo."

Her talking was background noise to Tucker. He was looking through the Thieves Manual, which had a list of the equipment they could wear. He found what he was looking for.

"I need a Jambiya."

"Certainly, kupo." She went into the back room and was only gone for a few moments before she returned with an ornate, curved dagger with a burnt yellow handle. She thought Jack Knife would be easier for him to get used to, but if he needed the ability to steal an accessory for his secret mission, it was not her place to question that. "How's this?"

"Looks easy enough to use." He took the blade from her hands, and practiced a few moves with it. It was certainly swift, and he had more room to dance around while fighting to dodge attacks, unlike the Restorer he had used in combat with that Bangaa. "Now I need a Brigandine, for counter attacks."

"Be right back." She left again, coming back a few seconds later with a piece of vest-like, padded armor. He took it, and slipped it under his green-blue tunic with little difficulty. It fit perfectly and comfortably.

"How much for these two?"

"5,400 Gil, kupo."

"H-H-HOOOLY SHIT!!"

The outburst was out before he could stop himself, and he slapped his forehead. The shopkeeper was puzzled by this. "Err, what?"

"N-Nothing. Lemme see if I even have that much..." He checked his satchel. He was 1,100 Gil short.

"Um... I don't have enough Gil... I'm like one thousand short."

"Can you pay me what you have and the rest later, kupo?"

Tucker looked at the shopkeeper. "You'd do that?"

"Of course! You have a secret mission to run for your sweetheart after all, kupo."

"Err... She and I aren't..." he started to say, but trailed off. "Ah nevermind. I feel bad about doing an I.O.U, but I don't have many options. Thanks... Thanks a ton." He paid her what he had, and she wrote on a receipt-sized piece of paper that Tucker owed him 1,100 Gil.

"Just pay it back when you have it, kupo. I trust you," she told him. Tucker nodded, and, now equipped with fine Thief weaponry and armor, headed out the door, en route to his next stop: Baguba Airfield.


	17. Stranded in Wilderness

Chapter 16 - _Stranded in Wilderness_

There was a knock on the door.

Mickey sighed, getting off her bed, putting down her book and going to meet whoever it was at the door. It was unusual for anyone to even know she existed way up here, unless it was a poacher hell-bent on revenge after what Mickey had done to him or her at some point in the poacher's life... That was a very plausible case if one were a poacher who had ever been to Sierra Gorge.

Mickey stood outside the door. "Yeah, who are you?" she called, loud enough for him to hear on the other side.

"Kupo, it's me Yinns."

She cracked open the door, peering out at him to make sure. Behind the Moogle was a Viera and a Nu Mou, respectively April and Theodore.

"Ha, and we keep thinking we've said our last goodbyes..." she told them. "Lemme guess. Injured ally? Come on in."

"Actually," Yinns told her as the three stepped inside the cabin, "we think Alastor and Elliot may have run off with the caravan, kupo."

"And sold everything for themselves to get rich," April added desparingly.

Sitting back on the bed in a reclining position, Mickey frowned. "Well. ...Damn. Wow. Honestly I can't help you there... The caravan's pulled by Panthers, and unless you get some more of your own and push them to the limit, there ain't no way you're catching up to it." She sighed. "I've never trusted Bangaa..."

"You've never trusted anyone," April added half-playfully. Mickey glared.

"But the worst part is the caravan had ALL of our stuff, save what we have on us," Yinns explained, defeated. "That means our food and our tents too, kupo."

Theodore was next to speak. "I still doubt that they would backstab his clan like this... We cannot jump to conclusions. Quite possibly they accidentally ran the caravan off a cliff while trying to bring it up to us, or were attacked by monsters or another sect of the poachers..."

"No," Yinns said flatly. "I pushed the clan too hard, kupo. I could see the signs of rebellion in him as we traveled. I guess coming up to help Mickey fight off the poachers was the final straw, kupo..."

"Yeah," Mickey added in her usual, fast-paced, sarcastic manner of speech, "plus he didn't like me much anyway. Go figure."

"He was just a bit competitive, kupo," Yinns explained. "He was always the most able man in the clan, and a bit of a hothead too... then when you came, quite frankly you bested him at everything, kupo..."

Mickey thought that bit over. "You're not criticizing me for being better at traveling than him, are you? 'Cause I _know_ I'm not the bad guy."

"No no, not criticizing, just pointing it out, kupo. You have more experience than any of us at this sort of thing, and Alastor isn't the kind to accept it."

"Why did you even have him in your clan in the first place if he was so immature?"

"HEY," April warned, "Stop bashing our clan."

"She wasn't, kupo, she asked a legitimate question from her standpoint," Yinns said in Mickey's defense. April sighed, sitting down on her chair, resting her head in her hands, tired and frustrated. Yinns continued. "I met him many, many moons ago, when the clan was first coming together..."

**

* * *

**

FLASHBACK

"That was close, kupo..."

"But we won."

"How come you didn't blast them with Firaga right off the bat, kupo? Firaga is stronger than Fira you know."

The wise old Nu Mou chuckled a little. "You have a lot to learn... I was conserving my energy."

"But isn't it smarter to go all-out, kupo?"

"Not against an agile opponent. Only attack full-on when you KNOW your attack will connect. Every attack takes energy out of you, which is finite. Both magic and physical blows."

The two acquaintances, a Nu Mou Black Mage named Theodore and an apprentice Moogle Gadgeteer known as Yinns, walked through the crowded streets of Baguba one afternoon in Sagemoon. They had just beaten a 2-on-2 engagement against a human Thief and a Bangaa White Monk after an argument involving Yinns.

"Well, young Moogle, I must be off now. I am meeting with an old friend of mine momentarily to make a deal, then I'm heading home."

"What, kupo? ...You come from out of nowhere after two kupo hotshots jump me, blast the daylights out of them after they KO me, and now you're leaving as if nothing ever happened? Kupopo! At least tell me your name..." Those days he was a lot more energetic than he was in the present.

"I am Theodore. What are you known as?"

"Kupo, I'm Yinns. Yinns the Gadgeteer." He started following Theodore to his friend's meeting place. "I've never seen such powerful black magic, kupo! What's your secret?"

"Do you mind? I told you I must be off."

"But, but..." Yinns whimpered...

Theodore sighed, exasperated. "Alright. You may accompany me. Just don't ask me to join your clan."

"Oh, okay, kupo," Yinns agreed. "Anyway I don't have a clan, so yeah."

There was silence for a while as they made their way to a lesser-known Pub in Baguba. Then Theodore responded, "I was in a clan until just recently. I was kicked out."

"Kicked out!? Kupopo! But you're so intelligent and powerful! Why would they kick you out?"

"I was blamed for something I did not do."

"Did you put up a fight about it, kupo?"

"No."

"Why!?"

"There was no reason to turn against my brothers and sisters there over a minor disagreement."

Yinns stopped for a moment... Something like that would have NEVER occured to him... This Theodore was so brilliantly wise...

They had reached the Pub, and Theodore opened the slightly beat-up door and went in. Yinns followed, barely able to contain himself. Theodore immediately went to a table at the back of the small bar and sat down next to the table's only resident: a Nu Mou Alchemist.

"Salutations, Grizwald."

Grizwald was reading a thick book, as usual, but put it down when his ally arrived. "Greetings, brother Theodore. I have the money." He handed Theodore a small pouch of Gil. "Thank you for loaning me that Gil."

Yinns was curious. "Kupo, you owed him money?"

Theodore turned a slightly irritated eye to the Moogle. "Yes, yes he did..."

"Who is this young one?" Grizwald asked. "He has potential. I feel it in him."

"His name is Yinns... I helped him out of a tricky situation and now he's following me everywhere."

"Well, excuuuuuuse me for thinking you're cool, kupo," the Moogle scoffed, hoping to receive more attention...

"That hardly condones following me around..."

Grizwald spoke. "Theodore, you should be a little less harsh on this one."

"Yeah," Yinns energetically added, "be a little less harsh on me, kupo!"

Theodore sighed. "Do not start, Yinns..." Turning to Grizwald: "What potential is it exactly you sense in the Moogle?"

"Determination, a positive attitude, and plenty of unlocked leadership. What more could one hope to want?"

Theodore didn't respond. How could he? Grizwald, wise as ever, had made an excellent point. Except for the leadership part, in Theodore's opinion... but Grizwald said it with such conviction that he wasn't about to doubt him, at least not too much.

He continued. "Look, Theodore. You were just expelled from an immature clan... You _belong_ in a clan, you with your amazing gifts I've known you for. I seriously think you and Yinns would form a good team in time. Stick with him. Train the boy. Then, later on, if you think he's better off alone you can leave." He turned to Yinns. "Boy! Are you in a clan?"

"Well, no, kupo... But I aim to start one. I wanted to master three Gadgeteer Techs first, though, kupo. It seems like a safer choice."

Theodore was impressed. "See?" Grizwald said to him, turning back to Theodore. "The first signs of a powerful leader."

"Alright. Alright, I'll do it." Theodore turned to Yinns. "How about you and I start a clan?"

"Right now, kupo? Well, I--"

He was interrupted. A rowdy, teenage Bangaa Warrior burst into the bar. "Alasstor iss IN the housse, kidss! Now where wass that talented Moogle Gadgeteer?" He surveyed the room, sheathing his Falchion.

"Wow, kupo, I have fans?" Yinns half-stammered.

Alastor spotted him. "YOU! Haha! Found you!" He took a seat. "I'm joining your clan, Moogle! The name'ss Alasstor." He shook the bewildered Moogle's hand vigorously.

"I... I don't have a clan, not yet," he managed to say. Alastor stopped short.

"What!?"

"I was thinking of making one soon. Like, I dunno, kupo... Tomorrow?"

"What's wrong with tonight?" Theodore asked him, smiling a little. He was beginning to get into the idea, seeing how quickly Yinns attracted a follower...

"Ummm..." Yinns thought as hard as he could, but had no luck in thinking of a reason. "Well, there's the three of us, kupo... I guess we have at least the start of a clan... But I want Theodore to be the leader, kupo."

Theodore sighed, thinking of Grizwald's request. He knew how to get out of this one, though. "Alastor, who would you rather be leader?"

"Definitely the Moogle!" he declared excitedly. "I ssaw that Chroma Gem back there... Pure geniuss! Let'ss call the clan 'Clan Chroma'!"

"Or we could call it Clan Indigo, seeing as how this pub is called the Indigo Inn, kupo..."

Alastor stammered. "B-but..."

"It's your choice, Yinns," Theodore told him. "You're the clan leader."

* * *

Yinns smiled as he wrapped up his story. "Yeah, kupo, it was one of those on-the-spot moments, the name Clan Indigo... Alastor became my finest fighter, kupo, and after mastering all the Warrior Techs, changed to Defender. Then I took several moons off clan duty to become an airship pilot in a 40-day war we had against some foreign dragons, kupo, and I offered to make Theodore the temporary leader, but he preferred I gave that position to Alastor."

April had fallen asleep, as she was really tired from all the journeying, but Mickey and Theodore were wide awake. Theodore smiled, remembering how they had met, just as Yinns described it. "Yes, back then you were quite immature compared to now."

"I admit it wholeheartedly, kupo," Yinns declared. "But when I came back from the war I was a different person, Moogle, whatever, kupo."

"And lemme guess," added an officially impressed Mickey. "When you came back from the war and took your position back as leader, that's when Alastor started with his attitude problem."

"Pretty much, kupo." Yinns sighed. "Honestly I don't think I was a bad leader, even with Alastor pulling this off on me, kupo."

"You never were a bad leader, Yinns," Theodore answered. "But no matter how hard one tries, one cannot hope to please everyone. Especially since you happen to be a Gadgeteer-- great job, great place in society, yet unfortunately your kind's famous Pandora Techs can go bad and disrupt the flow of trust."

"And I guess Elliot just followed him because they were both Bangaa," Mickey added. "Either that or Alastor left him in a ditch somewhere... Elliot's not the kind that would backstab. Not by a longshot. Though I don't really trust Bangaa either..."

"You're right, kupo... We need to find Alastor and find out what's going on. We can't hope to save our Mythril at this point, kupo, but that doesn't matter to me anymore. I want my clanmate back."

"So going all that way for the Mythril was for nothing then?" Mickey inquired, her usual sarcastic self.

"Technically yes, kupo... But I don't see it that way. We all learned something." He sighed. "And we all gained Experience, I suppose..."

"All aspects of life point to lessons," Theodore philosophized.

"And Experience," April moaned, apparently not really asleep. Theodore laughed slightly.

"Hey, it's gettin' dark," Mickey pointed out, eyeing the view beyond the room's window. True, the sky was beginning to dim. "I'll cook us some Chocobo then let's hit the hay. We'll figure out something... May be hard without supplies, but there's a way around everything. Maybe we can send for a Mail Express Chocobo and request supply delivery."

"Whatever works, kupo," Yinns said as he and Theodore followed Mickey down to the firepit room below. He thought of Molly just then, hoping she was alright. He would have a lot of stories to tell her when-- or if-- they got back...


	18. Tactical Engagement

Chapter 17 - _Tactical Engagement_

Baguba Airfield was a miniature metropolis of its own-- it featured two huge, gadgetized towers on either end of the square acre of stationary and active airships, plus a massive Hub building bustling with activity. Airships, big and small, took off from and landed at various runways within the perimeter of the base. It had to have been the most technologically advanced and sophisticated sector in all of Ivalice, and to think it was primarily operated by Moogles!

Tucker sighed, trying to relax himself for what he was about to do, then approached the main entrance of the Hub building. The whole time, one thought raced through his mind.

_"This is crazy. This is crazy. This is crazy."_

He entered, unnoticed, as he was just another face in the huge crowd, and looked around. It was a lot like the airports he had been to from his home world, except there weren't any fancy computers around to show flight takeoff times and such. How did people know when airships were taking off and landing, he wondered? It was probably done with magic here.

Tucker navigated the Hub building for a while, using the maps to find where he was going: The Warehouse on the other side. The whole time, in his mind...

_"This is suicide. This is suicide. This is suicide."_

Then his thoughts changed. "Molly..."

And he went for it. Tucker rushed out of one of the emergency back exits of the Hub. No alarm sounded-- these doors didn't work like that, unlike Tucker's home world, where the doors were marked with a red lever stating that an alarm would sound when pushed. Not like that here. Tucker looked ahead, and the Warehouse stood only around 300 feet away. A small, Corvette-sized ship was parked next to it, and several small characters stood nearby in the distance, talking and loading packages onto the ship. He was depending on pure chance for the details to work themselves out, such as the ship beside the warehouse, and fortunately Lady Luck seemed to be with him. So far.

His heart racing, Tucker looked through the Thieves Manual one last time to know what to do, then headed at a decently fast pace across the airfield to the warehouse. Nobody saw the blue-green clad Thief cross the landing strip unsupervised or enter the Warehouse through the back doors.

He hid behind some crates as he overheard the Moogles talking. There were only three of them.

"Is that the last of them, kupo?"

"No sir, there's these three over here. Give me a hand will you, kupo?"

"You got it."

Almost on the verge of panic by now, Tucker looked through the Manual one last time, in a section that said the Laws for each day for the next three moons. They were perfect.

Tucker silently leapt from behind the crates when he noticed all the Moogles had their backs turned, and dashed up to them. He was ten feet away from the nearest one when they saw him, and flipped.

"The hell, kupo? Who are--"

"ENGAGEMENT!!" Tucker cried at the top of his lungs, thrusting his finger forward for a dramatic effect. Almost instantly, a Judge materialized, mounted on his trusty armored Chocobo.

"The laws for today outlaw 'Fight' and 'Gunmanship'," the Judge declared. Tucker grinned as he watched the Moogles' responses. Two of them were Gunners.

"Awkay, this is kupoed up..."

"What the hell is wrong with you, kid!? You wanna be arrested, kupo?"

The Judge coughed. "The human called 'Engagement', all's fair..."

Two of the Moogles, being Gunners, swore and kupoed under their breaths and sat down, bound by the laws to be helpless this battle. Tucker's only opponent was a Gadgeteer, and he looked tough, wearing Godhand Knuckles and equipped with a black, padded coat. "You want somethin', kid? You want it? Let's see it, kupo! Pulling that on us, what the hell's kupo wrong with you?"

"You look upset. You must be the pilot," Tucker taunted.

"Yeah, yeah I'm the pilot! And who the hell do you think you are, kupo? Gaol's Little Helper?"

_"Okay, Fight is outlawed,"_ Tucker reminded himself. _"I'll need to make my move quickly."_

The Gadgeteer pulled out a deck of black Antilaw Cards and started looking through them as quickly as possible. Tucker assumed he was going to try to nerf the Fight Law so he could do some serious damage, so he decided to make his move right there. He dashed at the Gadgeteer, rolled behind him, and announced his attack.

"Steal Accessory!"

The Moogle felt a blow to his belt, but nothing appeared to be gone. He turned around to face Tucker, looking at him like he was nuts.

"You moron, what are you trying to pull, kupo?"

Tucker grinned, holding the key to victory in his hands, clenched tightly. He didn't answer, and instead ran around to the front of the airship, jumping into the cockpit.

"Ha, you won't be able to start it without the key, kupo," the Gadgeteer reminded him, feeling triumphantly.

The engines of the Corvette-class shuttle roared to life. All three Moogles' jaws dropped to the ground. Sweating coldly, the Gadgeteer reached down to his belt and felt for his keys...

...which were, for some awful reason, no longer there...

"Stop him, dammit!" the Moogle wailed, looking to the Judge pleadingly. The Judge simply shrugged.

"I forfeit the engagement!" Tucker called, as the airship began to take off to the skies. He knew reasonably well how to fly it-- he had played Flight Simulators on the computer with advanced gaming equipment to get the full gamer experience, and it worked a lot like those, although surprisingly a little simpler. This ship didn't have weapons; it was a transport shuttle. As he called his forfeit, the Judge winked out, and the Gunners opened fire at him with their Chaos Rifle and Longbarrel. The shuttle was, however, armored, being designed solely for fast-and-safe transport, and the shots harmlessly pinged off the ship as it took off and was out of sight before they could scratch it.

Tucker had played this battle completely without fault, and the reward had paid off. The small shuttle was his to command, and he knew just what to do with it. Scanning the ground, he flew the ship towards Molly's house... Finding a place to land would be a little tough, but no biggie.

* * *

"Wow, kupo, I've never been inside your clan headquarters before... It's nice. It's like a miniature rec room," Mom said to her daughter.

Molly nodded. "Yeah, it's nice. It's where we all talk about our next plan of action and stuff. We usually hang out in the morning and in the evening, spending the afternoon in engagements."

Mom examined the treehouse a little more and got back to business. "Okay, so let me get this straight, kupo... An engagement starts when the clan leader calls the word 'Engagement' toward another audience, right?"

"Yes. Or if the leader isn't present, anyone can start the engagement."

"Then the Judge comes, and nobody can die as long as the Judge is on the field, kupo."

"Correct."

"Then why don't the Judges patrol dangerous places like the streets and the Pub, kupo?"

"Because there's only so many Judges to patrol the entire country."

Mom frowned, not entirely getting it. "Oookayyyy... And then it's just anything goes until one side has fallen, kupo?"

"No no... You have to obey the laws. Or you're carded, and possibly sent to prison, like Clivia."

"Oh. Right, kupo. So what are today's Laws?"

Molly had it memorized. "'Gunmanship' and 'Fight' are not allowed."

"So nobody's allowed to engage today then, kupo."

"NO. That just means the only damage you can do is in the form of special attacks, like Thundara or Whirlwind."

Mom just wasn't getting it. She stared at Molly with a puzzled expression on her face.

Molly threw her hands up in the air. "I give up..." She headed out of the treehouse, the automatic sliding door closing behind her. Mom sighed, feeling left out. Molly sat on a tree branch, looking at the sky, her mind befuddled. Everything was happening way too fast in life for her liking.

Wait a second... What was that in the sky, getting bigger?

Molly scrambled down from the tree and stared in disbelief as a Corvette-class shuttle that had suddenly come from the heavens skidded to a quick landing in the grassy open area, only about 20 feet from where she stood. The engines stayed on as a familiar, green-clad, glasses-wearing human stepped out of the cockpit and waved to the Moogle girl.

"T-T-Tucker!?" she stammered, then ran forward to greet him. "Where in Famfrit WERE you!? And... where did you get this ship??"

"Where else but the Air Base?" he smiled.

Molly yelped in alarm. "The BASE!?"

"Get in," he said at once. "We're going to find your clan, and I'll need your help."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Tucker... that's... Oh my gosh... Are they alright? Tell me they're alright!!" She suddenly found herself in tears, worried horribly about the well-being of her clansmen.

"I don't know where they are or how they're doing, but you wanted to know, so I'm doing this for you. Get in, we'll find them."

"Oh... Okay! But hold on a moment, okay?" She scurried back up the ladder and entered the treehouse, where Mom still was. She looked a little worried.

"Molly, what was that noise outside, kupo?" she demanded to know.

"No time to talk. Follow me outside," Molly ordered her mom, gathering all the equipment she could hold from the storage containers in the back corner of the treehouse. "And help me carry some of this."

"Molly what in the-- ...Oh, alright, if it's a clan thing, kupo..." She did as Molly had wanted, and followed her out of the treehouse with as much equipment as she could carry-- armor, weapons, potions... She had trouble getting down the ladder, but Tucker came over to lighten her load. They all climbed into the shuttle, Tucker in the cockpit, sealed the doors and took to the air again. Mom was in disbelief.

"Molly, Tucker, where did you get this kupo airship and where are we going!?" she half-stammered, her heart racing. This was out of the ordinary, even by Molly's standards.

Tucker explained. "Molly's lost Clivia, and she's lost Dad... I'm not gonna let her lose Yinns and the clan as well, even if that meant sneaking into the Airfield and stealing this thing."

"WHAT!?" Molly gasped, not daring to believe it. "You _stole_ it!?"

"Hey. That's what Thieves do, and a quick class change fulfilled that argument. Besides, when I nabbed the keys I did so in an actual engagement, with Steal Accessory, so I didn't break any rules... And since Fight and Gunmanship were outlawed and two of three of my foes were Gunners, well..."

Molly gasped again... His plan, which had worked perfectly, took the mind of a genius to pull off-- this was what she loved most about Tucker the Gamer. Her face lit up, grinning, her old self once again shining through fully. "Tucker, you're fantastic!! Kupokupokupo!!" She was once again filled with new life, a feeling she now realized she had missed dearly. "Hang on, Yinns, we're coming to find you, kupo!"

Tucker grinned as well, feeling completely elated to once again feel the pureness pour out from Molly's heart. No feeling was greater or more desirable to him. "You bet we are! Hang on!" he cried, hitting the afterburner button, just like on Flight Sim. The chrome shuttle lurched, then broke into full speed, sending them hurling out of Baguba airspace at just under 300 MPH.

Mom smiled too... Tucker may have been the best thing to ever happen to her daughter.


	19. Yinns Gets Rescued

Chapter 18 - _Yinns Gets Rescued_

It had been a day, and still no sign of a supply team or rescue team. The Chocobo they caught and sent had gone south to Cadoan with a letter, enclosed in an envelope tied to a string hanging loose around the bird's neck. Thanks to Yinns's brief Animist training when he was (much, much) younger, he knew a little about Chocobos, and though he had long forgotten how to summon up a stampede of them when the situation demanded it, he had a way with them and could get them to do what he wanted. However, it was up to fate if the bird survived the journey to Cadoan or not; it didn't take an Animist to know that bit.

Mickey headed for the door. "I'm going hunting. Don't blow anything up until I get back."

"Kupo, can I come with you?" Yinns was bored. He said he would give the rescue team 5 days to get here, since a Chocobo ride from Sierra Gorge to Cadoan was about two days in one direction, but until then he had nothing to do but read the books Mickey had in the cabin. All of his own books were either at home or in the caravan wagon that Alastor conveniently hijacked. Mickey's gallery consisted of biographies of famous hunters like Cheney and Littlevili, monster guides, and one famous Viera romance novel called "Winters of Fate". The latter would be something April would be interested in; he ought to recommend it to her, he decided.

"No, you'll just slow me down. Not your fault, of course, but hey." And she was out. Yinns sighed and went back to reading "The Lifecycle of the Kudik Rockbeast", occasionally taking a sip of natural tea from the mug on the end-table next to him. He soon fell asleep.

April walked in from the other room. "Yinns, have you seen Theodore?" she asked him, disregarding his state of consciousness. He jolted awake. "Hwa? Urf, kupo..." He yawned. "April, I was sleeping..."

"Oh... Sorry."

"He left a while ago to go meditate, kupo. He said it's more of a Nu Mou thing than anything. He didn't say where he was going though, kupo."

"Oh okay." April seemed distant and contemplating.

"Why do you ask?"

"No reason." She laid down on the bed in the front room, where Mickey slept. Mickey wouldn't mind if April used her bed, she thought.

"I bet you're homesick, kupo."

She didn't get up. She just closed her eyes and lay motionless. But she did reply. "Aren't you?"

"I just miss Molly is all, kupo. I can handle the wilderness."

"Me too. She's like a little sister." Silence for a while. It was a very peaceful kind of silence, not an uncomfortable one. The only sound that could be heard was the extremely faint tick-tocking of the cuccoo clock on the wall. For some reason it made Yinns miss his grandparents.

Then Yinns remembered... "Oh, um, April... Check this out, kupo." He walked over with the before-mentioned book in hand, showing her...

"Winters of Fate!?" April exclaimed. "Ohhhh... I loved that book..."

"...You already read it." Yinns's expression was blank.

"Hee hee, when I was little. Well... okay, so Mom read it to me before bed every night, but still!"

"...That looks like a serious read for someone so young, kupo..."

At that moment, the Viera and the Moogle both heard a very faint rushing sound, though April heard it very clearly with her powerful ears. But the sound slowly got louder... Yinns knew that sound more than anyone else in the clan. His eyes widened and he bolted out of the chair. "April! Get outside! Now! Kupokupokupo!" He was out the door before she could react even the slightest. _Yinns knew that sound anywhere._

What the heck? She heard the sound too, but didn't know what it was, or cared much... But she followed him outside anyway.

Yinns had taken out his Pandora Box.

"Yinns, what are you doing!?"

He pointed at the slowly growing black dot in the white, cloudy sky, excited to the point of bouncing up and down rapidly. "Airship! Airship! Kupopo! Wave your hands! Maybe they'll see us!"

April had a better idea. She ran back inside to get something, coming back out momentarily with her bow and a quiver of red arrows. As the ship got closer, Yinns cast Blue Screw, the most harmless Pandora Tech there was, and the large coin went in the air and started spinning. April fired a red arrow straight up (she only had six of them) and it burst into flame, creating more special effects.

It was the coin that did it. Molly pointed ferociously at the two figures on the mountainous ground below. "It's them, it's THEM! They're alive! Kupo! Kupo! My clan! Yinns! They're aliiiiive!!" Tears of joy flowed from her glittering, eager eyes as she saw, faint and in the distance, two of the members of the clan she had missed for several moons.

"You sure it's them?" Tucker asked, just trying to make sure.

"Yes, I'm POSITIVE it's them, kupo!"

"Awesome. I'll find us a place to land, hold tight." He circled around, passing the cabin entirely, aiming for the flat plateau behind the grove of trees and the chasm on the other side of said cabin. It was the only landing spot in miles, and neither Tucker nor Molly had miles to spare.

_"Shit... Landing was always the hardest part of the Flight Sim..."_ Tucker thought ferociously, concentrating on the upcoming challenge...

Yinns watched despairingly as the ship passed right over their little show of fireworks. He was stunned. "They... They missed us... Did they even see us?? Kupoooooooh..."

April laughed. "Yinns, you twerp, they're right on the other side of the trees!"

He took off faster than a bottle rocket. April sighed, laughing slightly, and followed her leader to the trees in lithe strides.

Yinns navigated the trees as fast as his Moogle legs would take him, practically flying. "There's no place like home, there's no place like home, kupo..." He broke free of the trees... and the ground too, apparently, because on the other side of the trees was the edge of a small cliff. He fell, glided down with his wings, half-crashed to the ground and rolled to his feet, continuing to run. Tucker's shuttle was parked at the far end of the small plateau he stood on, maybe about 50 feet away. It was too good to be true, but here it was. Rescue from heaven!

Tucker sighed. He had flown a REAL aircraft, and it had been as easy as playing a video game. Still, the thought made him feel powerful. "Okay Molly and Molly's mom, let's get out and find them. Bring a weapon just in case."

"What do Animists use as a weapon?" Mom asked. Molly reached down and handed her a large, lime green bell. She stared at it. "What's this for, kupo?" she asked, but she was talking to air. Molly was running clear ahead of Tucker by now. She sighed and got out of the aircraft.

Molly saw Yinns in the distance. It was like a wonderful dream. Her clan! Her clan was safe! It had been over three moons! She thought she'd never see them again!

_They were ALIVE!_

"YIIIIIIINNS!!" she wailed, arms outstretched.

Yinns heard her, but couldn't believe it. Was that... Molly!?

They got closer. 10 feet away. It WAS Molly.

"YINNS!!"

"MOLLY!!"

The two practically ran into each-other, colliding in a huge embrace, squeezing the kupos right out of the other. Molly started bawling and sobbing... "Kupo, I... kupo, I thought I'd, kupo, never see you again, kupopo..."

Yinns said nothing, still in disbelief. Molly! Of all people! Here, at Sierra Gorge! But why, and in Famfrit's name, _how!?_

Yinns tried to move. "Molly, you're crushing my spine, kupo..."

"Waah waah!" she teased, mocking his way of speaking. "'Molly you're crushing my spine!' Get over it, I'm just happy to kupo see you!!"

"And I'm happy to be rescued, kupo... I still can't believe you're here, kupo!"

"Me neither! Tucker stole an airship right out of Baguba Port to bring me here, kupo!" She was still hopelessly wrapped around Yinns.

Yinns blinked. "Tucker?" Then another thought. "Wait, he WHAT!?"

Tucker had caught up to the energetic Moogle lass by now, and heard Yinns's inquiry. Yinns saw him over Molly's shoulder. "Ah, that must be Tucker, kupo. Ah, he's a Thief-class... Alright." At least that explained the airship-stealing part. "...Molly, you kinda, kupo, have to let me go now..."

She did so, letting all the air back into Yinns's furry body all at once. "Aaah the pain, kupo!"

Everyone laughed, knowing how _that_ felt...

Tucker stepped forward. "So you're Yinns. Nice. I'm Tucker. One of Molly's friends."

"Can he join the clan, kupopo? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease??" Molly begged.

Yinned nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, kupopo! The guy piloted an airship clear from Baguba just to rescue us... Tucker, welcome to the clan!" He made a mental note to see for himself what kind of pilot this guy was...

He laughed. "Ha, thanks... But hold on, is it just you and Molly? I thought there were five of you..."

On cue, April showed up from where Yinns had come from. "Aieeeeeeeee! MOLLY!!" she cried. "And she has friends? Who are you?" she said to Tucker.

"I'm Tucker. I flew us here." Pause. "And apparently I'm in the clan now... Sweet." April squealed in delight at this news, ever so happy to meet a new clanner...

A Nu Mou could be heard behind them. "Oh my goodness, it IS Molly." Having walked the whole way from the waterfall ridge when he heard the aircraft overhead, he finished the last 10 feet of the way in a run. "Wow, girl, I never thought I'd see you here, of all places. You look safe and sound... It is a miracle!" He knelt down to eye-level with the smiling Moogle girl. "My, how you've grown since we've been apart... You look much more grown up, and a good deal wiser. And... what's this? You're a Time Mage!" he finally realized, before anyone else.

"K-k-kupo!!" Yinns cried, overjoyed. "Is this true, Molly!?'

"Oh, you bet it's true, kupo!" she answered, just as overjoyed. "In fact, that's how I met Tucker," she explained, waving a hand towards her human friend.

"Ah boy, not this again," Tucker said with a chuckle.

The three clanners were stupified. "Wait, how...?"

Suddenly, an angry human girl, dressed in black velvet and with longish red hair, sprinted up to them. She eyed Tucker, and drew a hunting knife. "Pilot? I'll teach you to fucking scare away the kills while I'm out on a hunt!" Apparently Theodore wasn't the only one who had heard the roaring shuttle from a distance. It couldn't have been good for the wild animals.

Tucker's eyes widened. "Holy shit!" He fell backward and landed on his behind as Mickey lunged for his throat. But Molly, horrified, grabbed her leg and she tripped, landing on the ground inches short of Tucker. She then turned on Molly, holding her knife to Molly's throat. Molly didn't dare flinch.

"Dipshit? Don't try that again or I'll--"

SLICE.

In moments, Mickey was pinned to the ground by Tucker's palm against her neck, her left cheek slashed and bleeding. Her eyes were wide and shocked, and she had dropped her knife, leaving her defenseless.

Tucker tightened his grip on her neck, moving his face close to hers. "Do not. Do that. To Molly." He paused, then slowly released his grip on Mickey's neck. Finally able to breathe again, she coughed for a while, slowly got her breath back, and immediately scrambled to her feet, swooping up her knife and coming at him again. "Wh... Nobody cuts me, dipshit!"

But Thieves were fast, and Tucker swayed backwards and to the left as the hunting knife came at his heart, taking a half step back in the process for a perfect dodge. Then Counter set in, and with a half-turn and two flicks of the hand, Tucker had cut Mickey in her torso and again in her right hand, causing her to drop her weapon again. She looked down at her wounds, then eyed him in awe and fury.

"Hey." He put his Jambiya back in its sheath, leaving him defenseless. "I'm not your enemy. Let's get that bandaged up, I brought medical supplies. Just don't even think about harming Molly again or I'll carve you like a jack-o-lantern." Tucker was not bluffing. He was not a violent person for the most part, but something snapped in him when he saw Molly in danger.

The hatred in Mickey's eyes slowly subsided. He wasn't her enemy. He was just looking out for Molly. Even she could understand that. "Okay. Sorry about that then." She followed him to the shuttle, still a little in shock at the minor scuffle she had lost, along with the stunned members of Clan Indigo. "Dammit, I'm sorry... I kinda have a dangerous temper sometimes. Heh."

Once there, Tucker searched through the various cardboard packages the Moogles back at the warehouse had loaded on, until he found the one with medical supplies and bandages. He went to work bandaging Mickey's wounds the way he did it in a nameless military first-person shooter he once played online. Tucker smiled inside... So far, every time he's had to accomplish something important, it had been a video game that provided him with the experience. If he ever saw Mom again, she'd sure be surprised...

Yinns spoke. "So Molly, kupo, tell us all about the kinds of stuff you did while we were gone! I personally am practically _dying_ to know, kupo," he said with a smile. He still could hardly believe he was seeing Molly again after all this time. He had forgotten how long it really had been since he'd been home at Baguba, and they still had ways to go for that matter. Luckily, Tucker's "borrowed" airship would drastically cut their return trip time.

"Okay, kupo! Well, first..." Molly started covering everything she had done. Her battle with the Tricky Spirits, her friendship with Clivia, her Dispatch Missions, the Antlion fiasco, Tucker arriving, the time they spent together, learning the news about Dad... She explained it at a fast, high-energy pace, slowing down a little only when she got to the part about Dad, but those in Clan Indigo had learned to listen.

Nobody noticed the pair of gleaming Viera eyes, thirty feet away, spying on them.

Then Yinns started explaining everything _they_ had done and seen, ending on a dire note. "...So the caravan containing the Mythril is gone, kupo... and we think it's because Alastor hijacked it."

Molly suddenly got very quiet. "He... He turned against us, kupo?"

"We are not completely certain," Theodore said next, "however building evidence points to that answer. He also took Elliot with him... probably as a hostage or against his will, but possibly he joined forces with the renegade Bangaa. Again, there is no way to know for certain."

Molly's mom, who had been quiet up until now, pitched in to the conversation, in her usual clan cluelessness. "So wait, kupo, you're saying one of our clan members has gone bad on us? I don't like the sound of this, kupopo..."

"Is your _mom_ in the clan now too or something, kupo?" Yinns asked Molly, puzzled.

She nodded. "Since Dad died, kupo, she needed a new sense of family... and a new source of income. She said she can help the clan financially, kupo."

"Well, okay, kupo... What Job class is she? Animist?" Yinns guessed, noticing Mom's Heal Chime. Molly and Mom both nodded with a kupo. "Okay cool. Back on topic, kupo... I thought I could maybe talk some kupo sense into Alastor if we find him, and I'm not sure what we'll do about Elliot... We need to get back to Baguba, kupo. Then we'll discuss what to do next."

THWACK.

An arrow landed in Yinns's shoulder from out of nowhere.

Seven clanners stood thirty feet away, armed with powerful weapons and armor. "You're not going anywhere, airship bandits," the leader, a Paladin, announced, brandishing a Nagrarok.


	20. Message From Another World

Chapter 19 - _Message from Another World_

"Job change, please," the grandfatherly Nu Mou told the Moogle shopkeeper, gently slapping down his identification card.

"Alrighty, kupo. Your choices are White Mage, Black Mage, Beastmaster, Time Mage and Illusionist," she told him.

The Nu Mou sighed. "Time Mage."

"You don't sound too sure, kupo," the shopkeeper noticed, but she stamped his card and gave it back to him.

"Oh, it's nothing... I'm doing this for a friend is all," he explained. "I never liked the Time Mage job much. Expect another visit for another job change when I'm through, _mark my words_." And he walked out, taking his card with him.

* * *

Grizwald stood near the treehouse of Clan Indigo, where the wormhole incident had taken place according to Molly, holding a good-as-new Stardust Rod in his hands.

"Let me ponder," he said to himself, assessing his facts. "The Rod cracked in the middle of a Demi spell, shattering itself, and with it, the walls of the Well... and this released enough half-contained energy to puncture the walls of the space-time continuum... That had to have been a MASSIVE amount of energy if it was only half-contained. I'm no longer sure if this is safe..."

He looked down at his Stardust Rod. "I should be able to hold Demi for fifteen seconds. She had not been able to because she was not as experienced at the magical arts." He held his rod in front of him and thrust it forward. "Demi."

CRACK. Instantly the star-shaped jewel on the end shattered in the same exact pattern as before. Grizwald's eyes widened as he stared at the Rod. "It... It didn't work..." He had tried to fix it using advanced alchemy techniques, but apparently to no avail. "Good gravy... What did that Moogle DO to this Rod?"

He turned around and started to head back home, when he heard a bizarre warping noise behind him. He whipped around to face it, and was confronted by a pulsing black energy field hanging about five feet above the ground. The force generated by the field slightly blew things back.

Grizwald was quite alarmed. "A seam! But... they became extinct upon the destruction of the five Crystals!" He quickly calculated. "Of course... The puncture in the dimensional fabric doesn't heal on its own; this seam leads to Tucker's home world. And it reacted to the same spell that set it off..." He backed up, noticing the seam was getting bigger. "I have to seal it. But first I need to send Tucker home. What if... Wah!" He tripped over a stone, falling on his back.

The black field enveloped him, flinging him reluctantly through the aether.

* * *

"Good morning Mommy," Gene said sleepily to her mom, still in her pyjamas while coming out from her bedroom. It was 9 in the morning, a Saturday so she didn't have school. Mom was busy, hurriedly rushing from one room to the hallway with a loaded bin of laundry. In her late 40s, and since finding no whereabouts of Tucker and his room in shambles one night, she had no energy these days.

"Good morning, Gene," she replied to her daughter without even looking at her.

"Any news about Tucker yet?"

She dumped the bin of clothes in a hamper at the end of the hallway, slowing down. "No..." she said after a while. "No news about Tucker." She started getting all choked up.

Gene, only 8 years old, hugged her mom's leg. "He'll come back, Mommy. I know it." She spoke with pure conviction.

Mom nodded, but she had already given up almost all hope. Why would a criminal want to kidnap her son, a teenage video-game geek? It didn't make sense...

Mom walked to Tucker's bedroom and slowly opened the door. Every time she did that she half expected Tucker to be sitting there on his computer or XBox 360, like he had been almost every day of his teenage life... No such luck.

She had cleaned his room since he'd been gone, which took a day to do-- papers and game magazines had been scattered everywhere, as well as dirty clothes hanging from the oddest of places, such as the fan on the ceiling... His bed covers had been flung halfway across the room, his CDs had fallen off the dresser and lay scattered all over the floor... But everything was perfect now. Tucker generally hated it when she cleaned his room, but Mom insisted she wouldn't have a son that lived in this kind of mess.

Mom found herself crying. Gene saw her from across the hallway, and felt bad... Her mom broke down a lot since Tucker had been gone. This was one of those times.

Maybe it was time to move on, though... This was New York. This kind of thing happened. It was unfortunate when they did not find the criminal, but what could she do? The best thing she could do was to protect Gene and Cassandra from the same fate in the future. Living in the past would just hinder her. She sighed emotionally, and turned away to get some other chores done.

Then, all hell broke loose.

All at once, a black field of warped space-time blew open from out of nowhere, right above Tucker's bed, making a sound like thunder. Immediately Mom's reaction was terror, and she screamed at the top of her lungs, but was too mesmerized by the spectacle to take her eyes off of it or hide.

Gene ran from the other room when she heard Mom scream and the awful noise, running to see what the matter was. She stared through Tucker's open doorway, at the black energy field rapidly expanding, eyes wide as saucers and mouth wide open. It was the most beautiful, horrific thing she had ever seen, but she wasn't at all scared, unlike Mom.

Cassandra, a little older than Gene, had been violently woken up by the noise of the wormhole, and lie hidden under her covers, afraid for her life.

There was a loud _thud_ as a body was forcefully ejected from the portal, and with that it closed almost instantaneously. Lying face-down on the hardwood floor of Tucker's now-once-again-messy room was a less-than-conscious humanoid of some kind, dressed in a mystical red robe and hat-- the classic Alchemist outfit. His head was turned on its side, so Mom and Gene got a good look at it... Mom thought he kind of looked like a hippo-man.

Mom's jaw trembled. "Wh...What..."

Gene was absolutely thrilled. "Mom! Mom! That's a Nu Mou from Final Fantasy! It's _real!_"

Mom looked him over again from Tucker's doorway... Yes, THAT'S where she had seen that familiar character! One of Tucker's video games she had briefly watched while his friends were over! But... how could one be actually existing in Tucker's room? One thing was for certain, after seeing such a fantastic display of space-time fireworks moments ago, she was ready to believe anything.

Gene slowly approached the heap of Nu Mou on the floor.

"Gene!" Mom whispered loudly, "Get back here! He could be dangerous for all we know!"

But Gene knew what she was doing. She knelt down, no fear in her whatsoever, and gently nudged the Nu Mou's shoulder with her palm. Mom wanted to have a heart attack.

Grizwald stirred, his eyes slowly opening... He was on a hard surface, he decided. Definitely indoors. But where, exactly?

He felt another nudge on his shoulder. He didn't turn his head to look. "What... Who is that..." His voice reminded Gene of Santa Claus. Mom stood at the doorway, not daring to get too close unless Molly was in danger, which according to her could happen at any moment.

"Wake up, sleepy head!" Gene replied happily, continuing to nudge.

By now Cassandra, who was hearing everything through the paper-thin walls of the apartment, was overtaken by her curiosity, and entered Tucker's room to see what was going on. She stared at the Nu Mou Alchemist and yelped. "Aieeeeeee! Who is that!!"

"Oh, don't be such a baby, Cassie," Gene teased. "It's only a Nu Mou from Final Fantasy!"

"But Nu Mous don't exist!"

Grizwald highly took offense to that comment. He perked his head up. "Well, I say... That was quite uncalled for..."

Mom was feeling a little faint, like she would pass out at any moment.

Gene helped the Nu Mou to his feet, and he stood up to his full height. He was taller than Mom by about an inch, and that wasn't including the hat. Yet he was not intimidating... He seemed very friendly and loveable, albeit confused about his whereabouts. And his eyes were full of wisdom. They reminded Mom of the painting of Jesus on her bedroom wall.

Grizwald brushed himself off, and looked around the room. He heaved a big sigh. "Sorry for the intrusion, girls," he told them casually. "Would anyone mind telling me where I am?"

"Oh my God..." Cassandra stammered. "You... You really ARE a Nu Mou..."

"Yes," Grizwald replied with a laugh, "Yes, I suppose I am. Why does that surprise you?"

"Because... they're not... real..." She was almost speechless. Even Tucker knew creatures like these were only in the imaginary world of Final Fantasy... Yet here one was, too real to be a dream.

"Not real?" Grizwald wondered, frowning. Then it dawned on him. He had gone through the same wormhole Tucker had, so naturally he must be in Tucker's universe, where Nu Mou didn't exist. And these humans had to have been Tucker's family members.

"What's wrong?" Gene asked him.

Grizwald smiled. "Nothing at all. I know where I am now." He paused. "You three are Tucker's siblings and parent?"

Gasps from all of them. Mom ran forward and grabbed the Nu Mou by the shoulders, shaking him violently. "Tell me what you did to Tucker or I'll kill you!!" she screamed at him. Gene grabbed Mom's leg and tried to hold her back, causing her to let go of the surprised Nu Mou who fell backward.

Grizwald regained his composure and got back to his feet. "Madam, I swear on my brother's life I have not harmed your son the slightest bit." At a time like this, he couldn't afford to show any sort of alarming behavior to the three girls. Fortunately he was very, very good at that sort of thing.

Cassandra next. "Wait... You know where my brother is?" She suddenly started crying. "Please! I'll do anything! Bring back my brother!"

"That's what I've been trying to do for days," Grizwald told them. "And I think I figured out the way, but am not absolutely sure. My coming here was simply an accident, however I'm thankful it happened, for this has helped me figure out the true nature of the wormhole..."

"I KNEW it!!" Gene cried triumphantly, "Tucker was never kidnapped! See? I told you, Mommy! He got soooo addicted to video games that he fell through the screen!"

"What in... _No no no_," Grizwald peevishly answered, "it wasn't HIS doing... A Moogle from my universe accidentally punctured the space-time fabric and created a wormhole that brought him there. It was only a _coincidence_."

"Space-time... fabric?" Gene wondered.

Grizwald sighed. "It's... what reality is compromised of," he tried to explain.

"Oh, I get it, hee hee," Gene said, not getting it at all the slightest bit. Grizwald suspected as much, and rolled his eyes, smiling a little.

"According to research I've conducted," he continued, "dimensional rips do not heal on their own, but instead continue to tear and grow bigger over long periods of time, eventually causing unheard-of amounts of destruction. Logically we are trying to avoid such a fate..."

"Tucker!!" Mom screamed. "Tell me where to find Tucker!"

"Um, oh, right, of course. He's... on the other side of the wormhole. Where I came from."

Gene's jaw dropped. "You mean he's in the Final Fantasy universe!!" She squealed in delight at the thought of being surrounded by adorable Chocobos and Moogles.

"Err, I don't know what that means, I'm afraid..." Grizwald had never heard the term 'Final Fantasy'.

"Take me there," Mom said in a low voice. "I need to see my son."

"That might be dangerous," Grizwald cautioned.

"I don't care. Take me to Tucker!"

"Can I come too?" Gene pleaded.

Mom thought. She didn't know how long she would be gone, and Cassandra wasn't old enough to watch herself and Gene for long periods of time... She had no choice. "Yes. Gene and Cassie, you're both coming."

"What!? But..." Cassandra protested, scared by the thought of going to a different dimension for any length of time. This was unheard of! "I can't do it! Don't make me, Mom! Please, I..."

"I can't leave you here by yourselves," Mom explained. "It'll be alright, hun. If Tucker could do it, so can we, right?"

"Yeah, I... I guess you're right..." Cassandra turned to Grizwald. "You'll... You'll keep us safe, right?"

"I would die before letting any harm befall you," he stated authoritatively.

The three humans held hands. "Okay," Mom said. "Take us through this wormhole of yours."

"Of course. Let me see..." He started to cast Demi...

"WAIT!" Mom cried. "I have to go do something first. It's a... mom thing." She ran out of the room just like that. Bewildered, Grizwald looked at the two girls for answers, who just shrugged, though Gene was smiling inside, knowing kinda what Mom was up to. There were several noises from the kitchen, and after around five minutes Mom came back with a paper bag in her hands. There were eight expertly-made B.L.T. sandwiches inside.

"There," she said. "Tucker's favorite. Okay we're ready."

"Haha, good thinking," Grizwald laughed, then got ready to send them all through the seam once again.

The Nu Mou thrust the broken Stardust Rod forward and cast Demi. He wasn't sure if it would work because of the condition of the Rod, but it was worth a shot. However, it did indeed work-- the black energy field materialized and enveloped them all at once, sending them hurdling through time and space. None of the three humans had ever felt anything like it in any of their wildest dreams.

This was going to be quite an adventure.

* * *

From downstairs, a crazy old man, living in an apartment in shambles, played Chess against himself. He reached an ice-cold, bony hand down and moved a white bishop across the board, positioning it directly between two black pawns.

"Check," he said, grinning. "And so it begins."

Then he laughed maniacally.


	21. This Battle Must Not Be Lost

Chapter 20 - _This Battle Must Not Be Lost_

Yinns stared at the arrow in his shoulder, then up at the Paladin and his six clanners-- a Summoner, an Illusionist, a Time Mage, a Gladiator, a Ninja and a Morpher. This was gonna be hard.

Tucker stepped forward. "Airship bandits!? ...Leave them out of this, dammit! I'm responsible."

The Paladin laughed. "That ain't what the Mission Request said, pal."

Tucker gasped. He should've known this was the next step... He hadn't broken any rules in stealing the airship, as he had done it in an engagement and called his forfeit at the right time, which meant the Judges couldn't help him get it back...

But the pilot could, inversely, send a clan after him to take it back from him in an engagement, and that was just as legal as Tucker's plan. There was no backing out of this one.

"Engagement!" the Paladin cried, as a Judge materialized nearby.

"The laws for today outlaw Ice and, well, that's it," the Judge declared. "Winning clan is named when the other side has fallen. Begin!" He blew his whistle, and the seven opponents advanced, each one targeting a different member of Clan Indigo.

Theodore and the enemy Summoner clashed spells. Theodore called forth a fury of thunderbolts at her in the form of Thundagra, which she took without even attempting to dodge, then healed her damage immediately by summoning Unicorn. Before Theodore could attack again, she summoned Carbuncle to protect her, and a mirror-like energy field surrounded her in a globe. Theodore was forced into hand-to-hand combat and swung his Heretic Rod to attack, but she blocked it with her Princess Rod and then, of all things, whirled around once and clipped him with the Fencer attack Swarmstrike! Theodore was knocked backward and to his knees, feeling acid running through his veins...

The enemy Illusionist was busy dodging Yinns's hand-to-hand attacks while charging up his own powerful spell. As he neared the end of his charge, he slowed down, and Yinns connected with a leaping-whirling Cat Claws assault to the face, greatly wounding him. The wounded Illusionist countered with Wild Tornado, and the mighty cyclone of swirling winds was called forth, sending several of his opponents airborne before landing on their backs. Yinns got up and pulled out his Pandora Box... "Two can play that game, kupo..."

April fired a Beso Toxico arrow at the Moogle Time Mage, who was too slow to dodge and felt poison start to ravage his body. He quickly healed the poison with the white magic Esuna, and April took that time to get in several arrow shots, wounding him. The Time Mage countered with Slow, but April was wearing a special earring that protected her from the attack. She fired two rapid shots in succession, keeping her violently energetic assault at full power.

Molly had to deal with the Gladiator. Her opponent launched Bolt Sword at her, but was too innacurate as she barely had to move to dodge. She countered by swinging her Rod at him, driving him back a step, then followed up with Thundara, which electrified every molecule of his body. He shook off the attack then followed up with Wild Swing, barely missing but foring Molly into a bad position. He brought his blade in a high crushing arc from above his head, and she desperately rolled to the side, barely dodging. He had now taken the offensive, but the Gladiator's vital weakness was his lack of speed. It was Molly's only hope to avoid a one-hit knockout right now.

Mickey squared off against the Ninja, who ran at her with twin Katanas and swung twice. She did a handstand-backflip to dodge, then drew her bow, letting him have a shot to the vitals in his chest. He was now moving at half-speed. Mickey smirked maliciusly as she drew her knife and closed in for hand-to-hand combat, easily dodging the katana swings and counterattacking with her deadly blade. She cut him in seven different places, leapt over his head, and finished with a forceful stab to the spine in the back, painfully KOing the Ninja. Mickey then went to help Theodore, and Molly, who had noticed this feat, cast her only Time Mage spell on her: Haste. Mickey was now a lethal powerhouse, moving faster than the winds themselves.

The Nu Mou Morpher advanced on Molly's mom, who was armed with a Heal Chime. She bravely struck the Morpher, who just stood there and received the attack... knowing that all it would do was heal his nonexistant wounds. "You must be new at this engagement business," the Morpher taunted, shapeshifting his body into the form of a male Lilith. Mom screamed, backing up, as the Lilith reached out and planted a long, hard kiss on the Moogle's lips. She didn't have time to react to that boundary intrusion as she felt strange energy overcome her, her body becoming rigid and her eyes gaining a trapped, faraway look...

Tucker, however, had the toughest opponent. The Nagrarok-wielding Paladin. The Paladin lunged at him for a three-step combo, which Tucker evaded with a half-roll, half-step backwards and to the left, counterattacking with a knife combo. The Paladin took the hit, barely damaged, and swung again to try and crush Tucker in one blow, his all-powerful sword radiating sparks of raw magical energy. Tucker tried to roll out of the way but took the hit to the side. He squeezed his eyes in pain as the super-blade cut deeply into him.

"Holy Blade!" the Paladin cried, holding up his sword. A white beam of light came from the heavens and struck it, energizing it with the purest energies in existance. Before Tucker could react, the Paladin sliced him once, and Holy energy fried his body inside and out. He fell, KOed.

Molly saw it all. "TUCKER!!" She knew it was just an engagement, so he wouldn't die, but even so, that Paladin would pay for his actions. She dodged another Bolt Sword and came at the Paladin, leaving the Gladiator to do whatever, and casting Thundara at her new target.

Mickey KOed the Summoner in three swift, Haste-boosted hits with the knife, freeing Theodore's struggle. "Thank you," he said to Mickey, turning his attention to the Paladin and casting Firaga. Mickey didn't reply.

The two spells came at him at once, and he couldn't dodge either of them. "Uwaa!" The two spells surged pain through his whole body, but he had plenty of fight left in him, and stood up again, his white clothes a bit charred. He positioned two fingers to his forehead and announced, "Saint Cross." Four beams of holy energy poured out of his hand in the four compass directions, impaling Molly and Theodore. Theodore shrugged the attack off, but Molly had a lower tolerance for damage and fell to a kneel position, sizzling and charred from the white-hot Holy attack.

The Morpher came at Molly to finish her off, fluidly shapeshifting into a Floateye, claws outstretched. Molly yelped, but an arrow impaled the beast from behind, and then another, forcing the Morpher back into Nu Mou form. Mickey, a black blur of death, zipped in from behind and slashed his neck, Solid Snake style. Blood poured from the wound as he fell, KOed; if Tucker was still awake he would have doubted nobody dying in this engagement.

Then the Gladiator came out of nowhere at Theodore, who managed to cast Firaga on the Paladin one more time before he was hit with Beatdown, throwing him against a large rock for the KO. The Paladin fell to a kneel position like Molly, breathing hard.

"You guys... Such power..."

Molly used all of her energy to stand up and cast one final spell to finish him off, when her mom, as if in a trance, walked up to the Paladin and used her only ability, Cuisine, on him, healing him completely. She then slumped to the ground, KOed by the time-delayed effects of the Lilith's kiss. Molly was horrified. "M-m-mom!?"

"Ha!" the Paladin exclaimed, full of energy. "Bringing your mom to the fray... Quite brave, but if she doesn't know how to protect herself from Morphers she won't help you much!" He charged at Molly with his ultimate sword, intent on taking her out with one solid blow.

Yinns's Pandora Tech came through, and Molly felt a protective, magical aura fill her body, as did Yinns, April and Mickey. Nagrarok hit Molly, but she barely took any damage, though it did hurt.

Good ol' Yellow Spring came through at just the right time. And the Paladin couldn't believe it.

"N-No way... Nagrarok is too powerful! You must have cheated! Arrrgh!"

Molly leapt to the side and cast Thundara, blasting the Paladin with a thunderbolt storm from the heavens, and Mickey came at him with a knife slash to follow, wounding him. "Nurse!" he announced, summoning holy energy to patch his cuts up slightly. Mickey was about to attack again when the wounded Illusionist in the back finished his spell Stardust.

Destruction rained from the heavens, Lavos style! All members of Clan Indigo were blown to the ground by explosions and falling firey rocks. There was no escape! The destruction cleared, and everyone on Yinns's team was wounded. Yinns finished the Illusionist off with one final punch, KOing him.

Molly pulled a Phoenix Down from her tunic and crawled to Tucker's position nearby, hanging on to a thread of consciousness. The Paladin finished her off with one more sword slice to the back, right as the red feather landed on Tucker's heart, engulfing him in holy light. He jumped to his feet, seeing Molly's body...

"You killed Molly!!"

"Whoa, no I didn't, just knocked her out... But you gotta admit, she put up a helluva fight! Ha ha ha!" The Paladin came at Tucker. "Holy Blade!"

Tucker didn't waste any time this time. He darted behind the Paladin, twirled his curved knife... Mickey appeared next to him, her Haste-effects still active but nearing the end of their lifespan. They glanced at each-other, and nodded, drawing their knives.

The Paladin turned around. "Hey, wha--"

They struck! Tucker and Mickey leapt at the confused opponent, slicing him over and over again while dancing around and over him, each strike hitting a different spot. They finished the lethal combo by jumping backward, and chucking their knives at him from opposite directions. He was hit in the front and the back at the same time, shuddered, and slumped to the ground, KOed.

"Whyyyyyy..."

April had finished off the slothful Gladiator with long-range attacks by now, while Yinns had finished off the Time Mage with his Cat Claws. "Victory to Clan Indigo!" the Judge announced. Tucker breathed a huge sigh of relief. _That was one hell of a battle._

He looked down at Molly's fallen, slashed, motionless body... He couldn't bear it. They had no right to do this to her... But he was too wound up to cry. Instead, he sat down next to her body and closed his eyes.

"Let's let him be, kupo," Yinns said, going with April and Mickey to the cabin.

Silence for a long time... Tucker thought of his mom back at home. She had to have been worried sick. They probably called the police and sent out a search party... He had no way of contacting her though, for a long long time, probably...

But the worst part was, did he even _want_ to go home? This world was perfect for him, and Molly made her... happy. Happy beyond words.

Tucker once had a girlfriend a few years ago... He remembered it well. She had liked everything he liked, almost a little too conveniently, and was always saying nice things to him out of the blue. He had liked it at first, but it eventually started sounding corny, but he didn't say anything. Then one day, she had dumped him for no reason to go out with another guy that played football. To this day, Tucker couldn't figure out the girl's though processes.

His mom said that relationships never worked out in high school, and that it was best to wait until he was older. But... his mom never took alternate realities into account and the variables involved, nor had he for that matter...

Was he in love with Molly?

If so, was that wrong? She was a Moogle, and Moogles were video-game characters... It would be like the Final Fantasy fanboys on the Internet claiming they were in love with Tifa or Yuffie.

But this wasn't a video-game. This was REAL. Everything he had experienced, especially this fight, proved it. Tucker tried to remember he had to put everything he had ever learned about video games behind him at this point. But... Molly was only 10 years old, and he was 18... In his world a relationship like that was looked down upon by many cultures, his own included.

And most of all, Tucker didn't want to ruin his friendship with her...

"Tucker, it's dark out, kupo. What are you doing up?"

He turned to look at who spoke. Molly was awake, standing up, not a cut anywhere on her.

"Waiting for you to get revived, of course," he replied. He suddenly reached out and hugged her, surprising her slightly. "Damn you Molly, don't go doing that again! Please..." He paused, breathing emotionally. "...I can't... I can't think of anything horrible happening to you, Molly..."

She returned the embrace warmly. "I'm sorry, Tucker... I felt the same way when I saw your body, kupo..."

They broke the hug, and stared at each-other for a while, saying nothing. Both smiled. Molly's face was so cute and furry, and her eyes had so much light and hope in them...

"What?" Molly asked with a giggle.

Tucker shook his head. "Oh, nothing..."

"Hey Tucker?"

Tucker laid in the dusty bedrock of the plateau, staring up into the cloudy, grey night skies. "Yeah Molly?"

"When you looked at me just now, what did you see, kupo?"

"Oh, uh..." He sat up, thinking of how to put it. "I saw... I saw someone who does not know how to hate. I saw someone who only knows love."

"You think so too, kupo? ...Everyone says that..."

"Well, maybe there's a reason for it. That's your gift." He paused. "What about me? What do you see in me?"

She didn't answer for a while... Then she sat next to him and looked up at him. "Loneliness."

"Loneliness?"

"Yes, kupo. Loneliness."

He didn't respond. He was a bit flabbergasted. He trusted Molly's judgement, not thinking she would be wrong or inaccurate about a question like that, but... lonely? Was Tucker lonely?

"I... I didn't offend you, did I?" she asked him.

Tucker sighed. "No, Molly."

"Are you sure, kupo? 'Cause I see other things in you too..."

"Molly, please."

"I... oh alright..."

An arrow landed an inch from Tucker's face in the ground. He scrambled to his feet, very grateful his foe missed him... Molly saw the arrow and drew her Firewheel Rod.

It was Mickey.

"Ha, scared you didn't I?" she chuckled. Then her mood turned irate. "You morons, it's supposed to get to be 35 degrees outside tonight! Get your asses back to the cabin and I'll cook you some chow."

Tucker didn't know whether to be offended or flattered. "Well I... uh, okay," he half-sputtered.

"Kupopo, what about the shuttle?" Molly asked.

"It's locked, and only I have the key," Tucker replied, pointing to the key in his belt. "Besides, I don't think anyone else will come by tomorrow before we're gone. I just have a feeling this time."

The three of them walked up through the grove of trees, into Mickey's cabin, and feasted on Rockbeast meat that night. They talked the night away, each one of them sad that the next morning they would probably never see Mickey again for a long time, especially Tucker.


	22. The Chosen One

Chapter 21 - _The Chosen One_

Images flashed through Elliot's mind.

Images from his past... When he had been younger and only a White Monk, and how he worked in the Sprohm Orphanage every day...

A tiny, partially crippled Bangaa tugged at his leg. "Elliot, I'm hungry!"

"Aww, okay, I'll ssee what I can cook for you, Karl..."

Another image. Elliot being surrounded by lonely, though eager and bright, children of all races. "Tell us a story, Elliot!"

"What kind of sstory sshould I tell?"

"The Hero Gaol!"

"Pirates!"

"Magic, sorcery!"

Elliot, laughing... "Hehe, sstop ganging up on thiss poor Bangaa..."

"Get him guys!!" The kids tackling him to the ground... The head Templar coming in, demanding what the meaning of this was...

Elliot would always defend the kids. "Ssorry, ssir, we jusst got a little carried away iss all..."

"Elliot. Sspend more time reading bookss and in prayer. It would do ssomeone like you ssome good."

Different images. Books. He had taken his advice, though without giving up spending time with the orphans... He found enlightenment in books, books of all kinds. The books sped in front of his face, all the books he had ever read, rushing past him...

Him, traveling. A holy man, a Bishop.

In Muscadet.

"Kupo... He's... He's dead, sir..."

Elliot approaching the dead Nu Mou, bowing his head in prayer...

"Adrammelech, if it iss your will, let him live. Otherwisse, I pray for your undersstanding..."

Elliot laying hands on the Nu Mou, concentrating, the Nu Mou slowly opening his eyes as the small crowd vibrantly cheers... He had raised the dead through the Totema's power, and that wasn't the only time... More scenes. Elliot helping people.

"My daughter is _possessed!_ Please, I beg you, help her!"

"My cat ran away... Can you tell me how to overcome my sadness?"

"Will you hear my confessions? I have led a tainted life..."

Elliot in a Sprohm church, made of red stone and brick... Elliot, kneeling in front of a rock-sculpted altar, a Snake Staff in his hands...

"My masster, Adrammelech, I come to you now for guidancce... Pleasse, sspeak to me, tell me about my night'ss vissions..."

Elliot and Yinns. "Welcome to the clan, kupo! We needed a healer, so you showed up at just the right time, kupo."

"The honor iss all mine, Yinnss."

Alastor, eyeing him with contempt... "I don't like religon..."

"Then you will never reach the promissed landss of the Bangaa."

Alastor drawing his sword, Yinns running over to calm him down...

More images. Alastor had tried to attack Elliot in his sleep with a Striborg one night... They had gone to a local mission involving a Moogle church, and Alastor wouldn't step inside the church no matter what anyone said...

Was Alastor possessed? Elliot would have seen it if he had been. But he seemed to be merely afraid of religon. Elliot remembered... They had fought the Roda Dragons one day, when the Dragons had raided Baguba... He remembered the kinds of things Alastor had said and done. He would never forget.

"DIE, lizzard sscum!" after lunging into the Thundrake's throat with a Predator. The dragon roared, which became a moan of agony before it fell, KOed. Alastor laughed triumphantly.

After the battle. "Alasstor, you sshow little honor for your brother dragonss."

"Don't sstart again on one of you religouss talkss, cleric," the irate Defender had replied hostily.

The final images of Alastor bludgeoning him with the pommel of his Striborg, tying him up with a bungee cord, gagging him, then taunting...

"Let'ss ssee Adrammelech ssave you now, cleric!"

Then dragging him out into a ditch along the open road, and stabbing him with knives, hooks, knuckles, anything sharp he could find in the caravan... leaving them in his tattered body and leaving him in the ditch to rot...

Elliot opened his eyes slowly. One wouldn't open, as it was swollen shut, while the other could barely see; he was in so much horrible pain his vision was badly blurred. All he could make out was that it was getting to be night, either that or it was already night.

He shut his eyes again, trying not to move, as every time he moved the slightest bit his body would be wracked with near intolerable pain and suffering. His body was cut and bleeding literally everywhere, sharp metal objects of various kinds stuck into him crudely, lying in a ditch on the outskirts of Ulei River in tall grass where there was no hope of being seen.

He heard footsteps. Someone was coming after all! He desperately tried to be noticed. "Unnnnnnnh!" he moaned as loud as he could.

"Did you hear something?" a human asked from the main road.

"No I did not," a Nu Mou replied. They were walking away. He tried to scream with the gag in his mouth, but he was so dehydrated his voice had gone after the first moan. The potential rescuers never saw him.

He lie there as it grew darker, the cold of the night sapping his energy and last means to stay alive.

_"So... thiss iss how it endss..."_ Elliot thought. _"I will ssoon be united with my masster, Adrammelech... Thank you masster, for giving me a fruitful life and exxisstancce... where I could do your will..."_

Elliot shuddered one final time, no longer feeling the pain from moving, as the last of his life force left him. His good eye slowly closed, his breathing subsided like a tide going out, and the healer of Clan Indigo died.

* * *

Elliot was on his feet again, his robes good as new, as well as his body for that matter. He looked around, knowing he was dead, only a little afraid of what came next.

"Wh... Thiss iss the Dragon Sshrine...!" he realized, remembering the sketches in the religous books he had read for years. This was the Throne Room of Adrammelech, where a huge battle against the Totema and his forces took place against a once famous Clan Nutsy. Since then, that clan had gone their seperate ways; some of the members had in fact seemed to have vanished off the face of the earth. At the far end of the temple-esque hall was an altar where one of the legendary Crystals had once been. It had long since been destroyed.

"Thiss... can't be the Promissed Land... They're two sseperate thingss... What am I doing here?"

"Rest... and revelation."

Elliot whirled to face the altar, where the voice had come from. It sounded to Elliot like the Voice of God; it was deep and thunderous, like the very brothers of the Bangaa themselves. Dragons. He watched in awe as a column of light spread from the centerpoint outward from the circular altar, and a gigantic, magnificent, regal being began to materialize...

A creature which Elliot had never seen before with his own two eyes, yet was deeply close to.

"Ad... Adrammalech..." The Bangaa cleric whipped off his sandals and approached the Totema of legend, kneeling and speechless as he finished materializing from where the crystal once was long ago. "I am... I am not worthy..."

The Totema roared. Its roar shook the hall profusely, almost blowing Elliot to the ground. Immediately Elliot assumed that Adrammelech was angry at him, but he couldn't understand why... The roar was a commanding cry, not an angry bellow. The roar was... a true Dragon's roar.

The roar died down, and Adrammelech stared down at the Bishop with the wisdom and experience only a dragon could truly attain. "You may rise, Elliot. Stand!" he commanded in his booming voice of ages.

Elliot scrambled to his feet, staring up at the towering Adrammelech's majesty.

"I have been with you your entire life, Elliot, as you have been raised to know me. I have seen and felt your struggles, and they have pained me..." The Totema paused, then suddenly laughed heartily, which shook the room almost as much as his roar earlier. "My child, dear Elliot... I feel true honor knowing you have done my will in Ivalice during your life with the passion you displayed. You have the heart of your dragon brothers in you, and you know how to honor it."

"Masster..." Elliot breathed, finally getting the nerve up to speak to the Totema. "What iss... What am I... doing here insstead of... the Promissed Land?"

Adrammelech walked over to Elliot in six powerful steps that would have crushed ordinary marble floors; these floors were special and sacred. He was right in front of Elliot now, towering over him like a colossus.

"I know you realize you have died... Sadly, your death was at the hands of one of your kind, your Bangaa brother and clansman Alastor; he has turned fully against me by doing this, and I am hurt. The Totema cannot change the actions of their children; it is up to their free will to either choose to follow us, or lead their own path and possibly cause immeasurable destruction."

The Totema lifted his head back and roared again, but this roar wasn't thunderous and earth shaking; it sounded like a dragon that had just watched one of its young slain by a tiger. As he did this, the hall gained a bright white glow to it, and Elliot saw swirling lights come together to form images. It was Alastor and... himself, tied up and gagged.

"!!"

Elliot watched as Alastor mercilessly stabbed him over and over again with anything sharp in the back of the caravan, then rolled him into the marshy ditch on the outskirts of Ulei River and rode off, leaving him to die slowly with daggers and hooks still pertruding out of him.

Why? Why would Alastor turn on him so violently? Him, a holy man?

The images swirled again, and before him stood an even worse sight. Alastor had the attire of a Gladiator on now, probably to avoid detection from his clan if they came back, and stood in front of the clan treehouse. Equipped with a Flametounge, he began hitting the treehouse repeatedly with Fire Sword, every hit burning away a large chunk of the wooden structure and setting more aflame. Both Elliot and Adrammelech felt helpless as Alastor struck it one final time, burning the entire tree to ashes.

"Why!!" Elliot cried. "Why turn againsst a brother of hiss kind??"

"Because," the Totema explained, "when one's heart is clouded with confusion amidst past trials, it leads to darkness. Elliot, you have seen and experienced many things in your travels, and you know by now the causes of hate and fury in mortal hearts."

Elliot turned to Adrammelech. "Could I have... prevented thiss?"

"What's done is done," he told him. "It is only the future that matters. Elliot, your work is not done."

"...Masster..." he half-stammered, "...Are you ssending me back??"

"For one final task, my child. Your clan."

Elliot's heart almost stopped. "He'll kill them, won't he? I have to... I have to do ssomething... Masster, command me and I will go!"

"Very well." He roared his thunder roar again, and as the room shook, Elliot was knocked to his feet. The marble floor broke into large chunks and broke away, freefalling and with a terrified Elliot hanging onto one of them for dear life (he had forgotten he was already dead). The large, jagged marble pieces flew through the starry vaccuum of space, Adrammelech's voice booming from all around.

"Seek the Jagd Ahli, and you will find your Bangaa brother among other tortured hearts. You will not get another chance to change fate if Alastor cannot be changed. Restore honor where it is lost, my child, and go!"

The starry scape all around changed to a hyperspace effect of rainbow-colored rays as Elliot was catapulted from one plane of existance back to where he had first come from...

* * *

What now? Elliot was on his feet again, and the only sound nearby was a babbling brook... He was on the outskirts of Ulei River, where he had died, his body completely repaired... or was it?

Elliot looked down at the ditch where his body lie, and there lie a pile of ashes. "...Maybe I'm sstill dead," he thought. He looked at his arms to see if he was transparent or anything, noticing instead his clothes. Same robes, different color; they had become red and gold instead of green and white. "No way... I've become an... Arch Bisshop..." he whispered in awe.

Arch Bishops were a special Job class that was said only the Bangaa Totema himself, the one that Elliot had had his encounter with, could administrate to a holy man such as himself. They were reserved for the very best of Adrammelech's followers, and Elliot was only too honored and a little shocked to be given the role. Rumors stated that Arch Bishops were impervious to damage, much in the same way Llendar had once been-- yes, the Llendar he had learned of in Ivalice history lessons.

He looked around for his Snake Staff, then remembered Alastor had stolen it. He wished he had it... looked over, and was holding it. "...Wow..." he choked. "Thank you, masster Adrammelech." He looked at the road ahead, seeing Baguba in the distance. "Clan. I musst find Yinnss and the clan. But it'll take me a day to walk..." He wished he had a faster way.

The Totema's voice echoed in his head. _"Use the Staff."_

Not even startled, Elliot looked at his Snake Staff, and knew what to do. Holding it up high and chanting in a Dragonic-Latin tounge, the words coming to him spiritually, he felt the energy field heat up around him before he teleported himself to a scene in Baguba that was only too familiar.


	23. Flight of the Blue Rocket

Chapter 22 - _Flight of the Blue Rocket_

What remained of Clan Indigo piled into the shuttle, Tucker at the helm, as the engines began to roar to life. It brought back memories to Yinns, even though this was a transport shuttle instead of a Fighter-class.

"We're going home! At last!" April cried happily, "How I've missed the peaceful atmosphere of the clan treehouse..."

"This thing only has one speed: _fast,_" Tucker cautioned. "Unfortunately this thing only holds three, so some of you won't be able to buckle. Hope that's alright."

Molly wasn't one of the unfortunate ones. She sat in the co-pilot seat, strapped in safely next to Tucker, the pilot. Yinns, April and Theodore had no such luck. "Wait, what, kupo?"

"And off we go!"

Tucker ramped up the throttle to 100, and the shuttle sped off, throwing those that were un-buckled to the back of the hold, pinned against cargo boxes full of various equipment. It was less than comfortable. "Kupoooooo!" Yinns wailed.

"I thought you said you were an ace pilot," Theodore commented, staring at Yinns, though he was almost as unprepared as Yinns was.

"I am, kupo," he responded almost instantly, "but I never go into the air without buckling!"

They quickly made it to the skies above Nargai Cave, the first stop on the way from Sierra Gorge to Baguba. Three black dots approached above the horizon, closing in fast in a V-formation. Tucker squinted. "What... What the hell are those things?"

Yinns's eyes widened in horror. He knew those things anywhere, and still had nightmares about them on occasions.

The radio beeped, receiving an incoming transmission. It sounded like a very familiar, black-clothed Moogle which Tucker had once met, but even more so Yinns, unknown to him.

"Salutations, airship bandit," the gruff pilot said through the radio. "As you can see, kupo, you're outnumbered three to one and have no weapons, unlike us. I'm not inclined to let you surrender, either. You'll see what happens when you kupo with Lord Ivan!" The transmission ended.

Tucker sweated, looking over at a tense Molly. "I dunno if I can pull this off..."

"Kupo... Lord Ivan..." Yinns said in awe. Then he turned serious. "Give me the helm."

"But--"

"GIVE me the _HELM_."

They traded spots, with some difficulty, and after Yinns steered the ship out of a slight dive while they had switched, he switched the radio on. The three bogey aircrafts were much closer, and Tucker saw them break formation like the military in his world.

"Long time no kupo," Yinns said into the radio. "How's Marcy?"

There was a slight silence, before they got a return transmission. "Yinns!? Yinns the Blue Rocket!? How the kupo... Are you with the bandit?"

"You could say he works for me, kupo."

Tucker choked. "Whoa, dude... That's not entirely..." Molly gestured for him to hush, and winked. Yinns knew what he was doing.

"What the kupo!?" was the reply. "Boy, I have WAITED for the day I could kupo splash the Blue Rocket in a dying blaze of glory. Ready to fry?"

"Ready when you are, Lord Ivan."

Tucker stared ferociously at Yinns. "What the heck are you doing!?" he whispered. "We can't fight these guys, we have no weapons!"

Molly hit his shoulder. "Kupopo, _don't_ question his flying abilities. He fought in a war once. He was an ACE."

"He... whoa, really?" Tucker looked over at the Moogle pilot. There was an intense look of concentration on his face. He looked like a completely different character to Tucker. Curious and slightly worried about how he'd do unarmed, but trusting the pilot, Tucker mellowed out, watching the battle from inside the shuttle.

One of the bogeys was already behind Yinns, and it launched a peculiar-looking heatseeker at them. Though Tucker couldn't see it very well, the missile looked a lot different in this world than in Tucker's, most likely because of the difference in technology here.

Yinns then did something very risky-looking; he pulled the throttle down to 50. The shuttle slowed down, and the bogey started getting closer, as did the heatseeker.

Tucker's heart pounded furiously. _What is he doing?_

The bogey almost anticipated this move, and dipped his ship to a much lower altitude.

"Big mistake, joe," Yinns said, lowering the throttle to 20. They now weren't moving fast enough to stay in the air, and began to drop altitude. Tucker looked over at Molly. She was smiling, feeling completely safe with Yinns at the helm, even with their lives in jeopardy. Tucker sighed, tense as ever...

The bogey shuttle was soon only about 20 feet above Yinns's and close enough behind to be considered tailgating. The missile had bypassed them, and was circling around to collide with them from the front.

"Bye bye," Yinns declared triumphantly, activating the Afterbuner. The shuttle rocketed to 150 speed all the sudden, pinning them against their seats and throwing the unbuckled passengers, Tucker included, to the back again.

Yinns's shuttle barely dodged the missile, which was too close to the enemy ship that fired it to want to turn around. It hit it dead on, blowing up the engine and causing the bogey to spiral to the ground below with a tail of flame.

"WOOOOOOOO!!" Tucker yelled, envigorated. "That was p0wned!"

"Ssh," Yinns warned. "Still two left." Tucker quited down, feeling scolded.

Another bogey was right above them, only 300 feet apart. It was painted black, unlike the other remaining bogey, which was white. Tucker knew the black ship was Lord Ivan's. The hatches opened up, and Tucker thought it was dropping a bomb on them. Instead, four black missiles dropped out of the hatches vertically, and when they were eye-level with the shuttle they activated and came at the ship horizontally, almost at point-blank range. It was the dreaded Omni-Missile, capable of striking ground and air targets.

Yinns swerved up at the last second, dodging them. He kept swerving up.

"Yinns, watch out, you'll--" Tucker started to say. Too late.

_THUD._

There was a mid-air collision, but it was Lord Ivan's ship that sputtered out of control, not the Blue Rocket's. "Good job picking me out an armored ship, kupo," Yinns thanked Tucker.

Tucker's jaw was wide open. "You are GOD, dude. WOW."

Yinns made a face. He didn't know what that meant. Molly did, though, and she giggled.

Another heatseeker came from behind, from the other normal bogey. Yinns acted as before, switching the throttle to 50 and dipping to a lower altitude. This time the bogey didn't drop altitude, and proceeded to get closer and closer to Yinns's ship. Tucker wondered how Yinns would get out of this one.

The missile was right on top of them. Yinns dipped sharply, then jerked the helm to the right. "Hang on, kupo!" The shuttle did a double barrel-roll, throwing Tucker, April and Theodore into every solid object in the shuttle. As the ship rolled, the top of the wing slapped into the bottom-back of the heatseeker, without touching the warhead. The missile spun out of control, doing frontflips. Wasting no time, Yinns activated the Afterburner again, rocketing ahead of the bogey and the missile.

_"How did he do that!?"_ Tucker pondered ferociously. What Yinns had just accomplished would've been next to impossible, if not fully impossible, in Tucker's world...

The pilot of the bogey ship apparently didn't see the rerouted missile behind him, which finished spinning, and made a beeline for the only ship in sight: again, the one that fired it. It hit the back of the ship, blowing half of it away, and it too spiraled to the ground in a big firey ball.

Yinns smiled. "It seems that the guided missle was misguided, kupo."

Tucker thought that was all of them, when Lord Ivan's ship reappeared behind them, having regained control before he crashed from the midair fender bender Yinns offered him. It immediately fired four more Omni-Missiles. "End of the kupo line, Blue Rocket! DIE!" his voice shouted over the radio.

Yinns slowed down again, dipped and did another barrel roll, and the three unbuckled passengers made sure to grip nearby seats this time. The wings of the shuttle hit the missiles, blowing them up instead of knocking them back. Though the explosions were quickly left behind in the wind, the shuttle had taken its first small bit of damage, unnerving Tucker.

Yinns never lost his cool, though. Before Lord Ivan fired off another round, Yinns swerved upwards, turning almost completely vertically. Then he yanked the throttle down to 25, and the shuttle began to drop to the ground straight down, while facing at that high angle. Lord Ivan quickly got in front of them, and Yinns immediately lurched back to 100 speed, fighting the wheel and barely managing to tilt at a flat angle once again. The experience almost made Tucker lose his cookies.

Lord Ivan had lost sight of them, and flew straight ahead. These airships didn't have radar of any kind, apparently-- probably one of the only inferiorities to the airships of Tucker's technology-age universe. Yinns flew the shuttle about 20 feet above and behind Lord Ivan's. He still didn't notice.

Ivan swore to himself in his own cockpit, sweating. "Where the kupo did he go? Damn he's good... I forgot how kupo good he was..." He suddenly looked behind him, and there his opponent was. He almost wet his pants, he was so startled. "KUPO! Die already!" Ivan yanked the helm to the left, trying to swerve away, but he had been so shocked by the sudden appearance of his opponent he yanked a little too hard. The ship flipped over 220 degrees, and then started rotating along all axes like a gyrochair.

Yinns took the opportunity before it was too late. He dipped, then hit the Afterburner. "Ramming speeeeeeed!!" he yelled, making Tucker's blood run cold. Was Yinns this crazy? The answer was yes. He drove the armored transport into the whirling bogey ship, crushing one of its wings and half the cockpit, and driving said crushed ship to a plummeting freefall.

Everyone in Yinns's shuttle cheered, especially Tucker. "WOWWW THAAAAT WAAAAS WICKED!!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, doing a spastic dance. "You're my hero, man! That was unreal!!" Of all the Flight Sim practice he'd ever had, Tucker would've never been able to do the things he just witnessed his clan leader pull off. Yinns just shrugged.

They watched the black craft freefall to the ground, but a black form shot from the cockpit like a bottle rocket before it crashed, which then floated down on a parachute.

"We're landing, kupo," Yinns announced, circling the shuttle to the ground below for a landing. Within less than a minute, the shuttle had landed in the grassy field below, and everyone aboard had staggered out, except for Yinns and Molly, who walked normally.

The black-clad Gadgeteer unbuckled his harness and walked over to Yinns and the gang, equipped with Godhands. He looked tough.

But when Yinns and Lord Ivan stood face to face, neither side looked ready to attack. Lord Ivan looked about ready to cry.

"Nice fight, kupo," Yinns said to him, smiling faintly. Tucker said nothing.

Long silence. Then... "Yeah. Yeah it was. ...Dammit, kupo, you're still the Blue Rocket..."

"Yes I am, kupo. Makes me wonder what I'm doing here with the Clan Wars..."

"You think we need another kupo war to break out?"

The two Gadgeteers burst out laughing like old buddies. Tucker was confused beyond words. "They _know_ each-other," he hissed to Molly in disbelief.

"Of course they do, kupo, they fought a war together," Molly hissed back. "Yinns was ranked Major General in the fourth Skymoogle Batallion. Ivan was only a Major, kupo. That's quite a difference." While Molly didn't know much about the Air Force, which worked a lot in Ivalice like they did in Tucker's world, the stories she heard from Yinns were good enough for her. "You didn't _tell_ me you stole a ship from _Lord Ivan,_ kupo!"

"Well, I--" He turned to Yinns and Ivan, who had approached him. "Hiya," he said uneasily with a casual wave.

"Lord Ivan, this is Tucker, kupo. He saved my clan and I from being stranded at Sierra Gorge."

"I know the little kupo bastard," Ivan's reply was. Tucker winced, but his next reply surprised him. "Good to see you again, kid. You didn't kupo _tell_ me you were a friend of the Blue Rocket."

Tucker sputtered worse than Ivan's engine had. "Whoa, b-but, I mean... Oh come on, how was I supposed to know?" Pause. "And I thought you wanted him DEAD! You said so on the damn raido!"

"How seriously do you take dogfights in your world, kupo?" Yinns wondered. "...Or do you even _have_ an Air Force over there? That was just trash talk, kupo. I would've ejected us if I had been shot down."

"Like I had a kupo chance against _you,_" joked Lord Ivan. "I mean, kupo, dude, you didn't even have any kupo weapons and I was shanked..."

Tucker felt challenged. "Of course we have an Air Force! Same ships too, except they have more advanced weapons, radar, and--"

The two Moogles were all of the sudden, practically rolling on the floor, laughing their asses off. "Tucker, Tucker," Lord Ivan managed to choke out, "did you say you guys had _radar_ in your ships?" He doubled over in laughter.

Tucker turned red in the face. "HEY, there's nothing bad about radar! It's helpful!"

"Yeah, I'd like to see how your world's ships fare against ours, you silly greenhorn!" They cracked up some more. Tucker didn't think it was funny. He turned around and left to get back in his shuttle, fuming.

Molly lightly slapped Yinns's shoulder, annoyed with him. "Yinns!"

The laughter between the two veteran Moogles slowly subsided, and Yinns sighed. "Gee, I think I offended him, kupo... Sorry, Molly..."

"Apologize to _him_." She left their presence and climbed into the co-pilot seat of the shuttle to console her friend Tucker.

Yinns and Lord Ivan stared at each-other for a moment, then followed Molly.

Tucker, inside the shuttle... "They're bullies. Both of 'em. Where I come from you don't make fun of another man's country, and they're making fun of my home dimension."

Molly. "Yeah they were, kupo... but they just got caught up in the moment is all. Are military people not like that in your world, kupo? I mean, Lord Ivan swears a _lot_."

"He does?" He thought about it... "Oh right, he does. Yeah, I guess I see the similarities. Still mad at 'em though. I never pictured Yinns like that."

Yinns and Lord Ivan were suddenly seated behind Molly and Tucker. "Who invited you two?" Tucker sighed, irate.

"We're sorry, kupo," Yinns explained. "Seriously. I forget you don't know me as well as Molly and I didn't want you to get a bad impression of me or the clan, kupo."

Lord Ivan nodded. "That, and you're probably a kupo military man yourself... Didn't want to bash you or anything..."

Tucker shook his head. "Nope. Not military."

"What the kupo? ...Then how did you know how to fly my kupo transport?"

"He's a gamer," Molly said with a giggle. Tucker high-fived her, something she also had picked up from him.

Puzzled silence from both military Moogles.

"You know," Tucker explained, "Flight Simulators. ...Don't you have those here?"

"Flight Simulators? What's your damage, boy?" Lord Ivan barked.

"You don't have Flight Sim? ...Then how the hell do you train your pilots?"

"How else?" Yinns asked in return. "If they can't survive their first battle, they're not fit to be pilots, kupo."

Tucker shuddered. "And how many Moogles survived _that_ kind of training?" he asked, horrified.

"Give or take, around 93," Yinns recited his military statistical knowledge. Tucker was astounded, even more so when Lord Ivan added, "And about 39 of the kupo pilots out there are female."

Tucker said nothing for a while, then suddenly laughed heartily for a moment. "Maaaaan, my country is so screwed up..."

"Just your military," Lord Ivan stated his opinion. "And that's coming from an outsider to your country, so you don't have to kupo agree with me, you kupo bastard of a genius." He smiled. "Care to get this scrapheap off the ground? I'd fly back to Baguba on my own but Yinns splashed my kupo wings."

Yinns made a whistling sound followed by a crashing sound, doing the hand motions of a fighter plane being shot down. Lord Ivan smacked his friend with the back of his Godhand, knuckles and all. "Ack! Watch it!"

Molly stuck her head out of the window to Theodore, April and her mom. "Heyyyyy! Kupo! We're heading home, get in!" The three quickly got back in the cargo hold as Tucker started the ignition and ramped the throttle to 100. The transport lurched before taking off into the wild blue yonder, destined for the city in the distance. Their Baguba.

"By the way," Tucker called to Lord Ivan over the engine noise, "all your cargo's still present, minus some medical bandages and a pack of dehydrated soup."

"Heh, nice. You're alright kid," he replied. "But you're still kupo paying for _those._"

Long silence.

"So how's Marcy?" Yinns asked.


	24. Reunion and Emotion

Chapter 23 - _Reunion and Emotion_

"Mommy, am I too young to be in here?" Gene asked her mom as the three female humans followed Grizwald into the main Baguba Pub.

Mom stopped the Nu Mou by grabbing his shoulder. "Look, we can't go into a bar, Gene is only 8 and Cassandra's 12 for pete sake!"

"Why should that matter?" he wondered, then it dawned on him. "Ohhh... My apologies. I forgot there's possibly an age restriction for Pubs in your world... In this world, there is not. But you may only have alchahol if you're in a clan, and it is a bad idea anyway."

"Oh," Gene said, hearing this bit. "Ha ha! I'm in a bar and it's okay!"

"Shut up, Gene," Cassandra snapped through clenched teeth. She was NOT enjoying her experience in Ivalice so far...

"MOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!! Cassie just told me to shut up!!" Gene wailed.

People of different races stopped what they were doing for a moment to stare at the four of them.

Mom raised her hand as if she was going to slap them both, and they cowered. "Listen, I WILL slap you both if you don't behave. Now I want neither of you to say another word until we're out of this filthy place.

Emotional looks of hurt lingered in both Gene's and Cassandra's eyes. Grizwald sighed as he made his way to the counter. _"Goodness, I'm glad I don't live in their home universe,"_ he thought.

"Heyyyy, it's Ol' Grizzly," Jeremiah the bartender joked. "Need anything, old friend?"

"Yes. Do you currently know the wherabouts of Tucker? You know the one I mean, heh..." Mom tried to overhear them, but the bar was too busy for her to make very much of it out.

As Jerry checked his papers and mission reports for clues, Gene looked around the bar and was fascinated. Everyone looked pretty tough, even the cute ones like some of the Moogles and Vieras. She knew she wasn't supposed to talk because of Mom's threat, but she was bounding with curiosity and couldn't help it, unlike Cassandra who was much too nervous. Gene approached a teenage-looking Viera Fencer at a table nearby. "Hi!" she said to her.

"Gene, what did I say!" Mom snapped, furious, reaching her hand out to pull her back.

The Viera took slight offense to that. "Heyyy, lady, she can say _hi_ at least! What's your deal?"

Mom reached down and grabbed the Viera's shoulder. "If you lay one finger on--"

SWING. The Viera was on her feet, a Silver Rapier to Mom's throat, and immediately about seven others in the bar stood up and edged closer. Grizwald sighed and slapped his face in exasperation.

There was a moment where nobody moved, then Mom backed up a little, and the Viera withdrew her weapon, still keeping it in her hand however. Gene was shocked. Maybe the bunny girl wasn't so nice after all...

"Umm... Mrs. Bunny, um... I-I'm sorry for..." she started to say.

Suddenly the Viera felt really bad. "Oh God... She's your Mom, isn't she... Look, I'm sorry about that. I just don't like being grabbed." She dropped her weapon on the ground. "See? It won't happen again, sweetie."

Gene's face lit back up. "Okay, thanks! What's your name?"

Mom held her head in her hands, wondering just how she got into this mess...

"Cherrie. Good to meet you." She smiled.

"Haha! Your name's Cherry! I love that name! I'm Gene!"

Cherrie grinned... These three strangers sure were different. She didn't want to say anything about it though, since she couldn't quite place her finger on it... And this Gene, she was so _happy_ about everything. It was as if she was blind yesterday and miraculously got her sight back today or something.

"So what are you three doing in a busy pub like this, may I ask? You three don't seem like you're in a clan, _or_ are the drinking types..."

Mom. "Um... clan?"

Cherrie. "Huh. You don't seem to know about the Clan Wars or any of that, do you? ...Maybe you're not from around here..."

Gene. "Nope! We came from far, far away... We're looking for my big brother, Tucker!"

Suddenly the Pub was buzzing with conversation, and the three visitors were the center of it all. They seemed to notice, especially Mom. "Wait... You guys... You all know Tucker?"

"_Know_ him?" Cherrie said, excited, "He's the talk of the town! Everyone knows him! ...And you're his family members? Wow... I knew there was something different about you guys!"

Gene gasped. "My brother is famous! My brother is famous!"

Jeremiah pulled out a Mission Request paper. "You betcha. This one's from a few days ago... Someone posted a reward for slaying him after Tucker stole his airship."

Mom's face turned white. "My b-boy... is a criminal??"

Cherrie laughed. "No no, nothin' like that... He stole it fair and square and didn't break any laws. Furthermore, he had never been in a battle before in his life, and his feat took the work of a genius to think up... He's the town hero."

"But he stole something! Stealing's illegal!"

There were mixed reactions from various pub customers to that comment; some thought it was funny, some thought this woman was an annoying radical.

Grizwald spoke next. "Stealing's only illegal in YOUR world. In this world it's perfectly acceptable as long as it's done in an engagement-- err, battle, that is."

Cherrie raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Wait... You guys came from another universe? Are you serious?"

"Yeah," Gene said to her new friend. "We came to find Tucker 'cause Mom was feeling really upset. She thought he was kidnapped, but instead he just fell into a wormhole."

"Nice! Tucker too then, eh? That's awesome!"

Other voices in the bar piped up. "What's it like in your world, girls?"

"This is quite a special day!"

"Hey, if you need advice about our world, just ask!"

Mom actually started to smile. "Wait... Us being here... doesn't freak you out at all? Even though you know?"

Cherrie's tone turned a slight bit more serious. "Listen. In this world, if a giant Bahamut jumps out and wipes Muscadet off the face of the continent with one fireball, and I go and tell that to someone in this pub, he'll go, "Goodness, that's horrible, we need to defeat that Bahamut!" What would they say in your world?"

"In our world, they'd lock you up in an asylum."

The buzz in the pub got louder with the added exclamations of dismay.

"Yeah. A wormhole appearing is child's play in the grand scheme of things. It's just a coincidence that it linked to your world... There was an equal chance of it linking to some other one. Of course, I don't know a lot about wormholes myself..."

"You seem like you do," Mom said slowly. "I didn't even know what one was."

"Anyway, you guys need to find Tucker, and I'm gonna help you. You three need all the help you can get if you wanna make it here!"

"You'll help us!?" Gene cried enthusiastically. "Oh, thank you so much, Cherry! You're the greatest!" She ran up and gave Cherrie a squeeze, even though she could only reach up to the Viera's waist. This time, Mom wasn't apprehensive about it. She felt a lot safer in this world now.

Cherrie turned over to the far side of the bar. "Hey! I'm heading out for a while, I'll meet you at my house tonight," she called to her clan. Then, turning to Tucker's folks, "Follow me, and, um, try to blend in I guess." And, smiling cheerfully, she and Grizwald led them out of the pub. On the way, the five of them talked with each-other completely comfortably about all sorts of things, and Tucker's folks learned what they could about the new world they were in.

* * *

An armored shuttle pulled to a stop right in front of a familiar warehouse, and seven passengers climed out of the sides. Tucker then handed the keys to Lord Ivan.

"What? Aw, you don't have to, kid..."

"I don't have any use for it. Besides..." he sighed, "...I don't know how much longer I'll be around... As soon as Grizwald fixes Molly's Stardust Rod I'm going home."

Molly kupoed sadly, but didn't respond.

"Well, if you're ever in the kupo area again, lemme know and I'll even teach you to dogfight without those sissy kupo radars," he told him, smirking.

"Thanks," Tucker replied, shaking his hand one last time. "Let's go check on Grizwald, I guess. Hoo, I'm exhausted..."

"Me toooooo..." April moaned. "When we get to the treehouse I'm bringing a milkshake!"

They walked across the airfield towards the main gate to get back into the main city of Baguba. "We're all exhausted, kupo," corrected Yinns. "Maybe it wouldn't hurt to stop at the HQ for a while and chillax."

"I like the sound of that idea, kupo," Molly agreed. Molly's mom nodded.

Theodore. "Yes. We can worry about Alastor tomorrow."

But as they reached the Hub Building, a small crowd of clanners and some non-clanners as well gathered around him. "Hey, it'ss Tucker!"

"Awesome! The Thief of the Skies!"

"Tucker, kupo, I want your autograph!"

"I brought you some Gil, man! Here!"

Tucker stopped. "What the hell? 'Thief of the Skies'? OH..." He and the others realized that news of his shuttle theft had probably spread since he'd been gone. "Hey, I'm not in trouble, am I guys?"

"No way, kupopo! You're my hero!"

"And mine!"

"Join my clan, man! _Please!!_"

Everyone in Tucker's group was shocked, Tucker the most of all. "Whoaaaa. WOW! I'm famous! I'm LEET! Wooo!"

Molly slid up to him. "You should stay here in Ivalice instead of going home, kupo," she said sweetly. "Out of everyone here, I would love that most."

"I've considered it," he responded, "but I miss my mom..."

"Tuckerrrrrrrr!!"

He froze. That voice. Nobody in the world but one person had that voice.

Then... "Broooooooooooootherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!"

The crowd parted, hearing it too. Tucker stared... Was it?

It WAS.

"MOM!! GENE!!"

"TUCKER!! My son, oh, my son!"

Mother and Son ran up to each-other and embraced tightly. Tucker broke down on the spot, taking off his glasses so they wouldn't get wet. "Mom... sniff... I thought I'd... I thought I'd never see you again..."

"My son, oh my son..." They stayed in an embrace of love for the longest time, with Gene and Cassandra hugging him too, and everyone in the crowd of clanners was touched by the scene. Many started to cry. But Molly was the most. She approached them.

Tucker wiped his eyes, his cheeks red from the tears, and noticed Molly. "Mom, Gene, Cassie, this is Molly," he introduced her. Gene gasped, totally thrilled to meet the ultra-cute Moogle.

"Nice to meet you Molly!" she immediately said. Molly grinned, laughing and feeling a little flattered. "Nice to meet you too, kupo," she replied. Gene practically squealed at the sound of Molly's kupo.

Mom shook the little Moogle's hand, feeling better about being surrounded by video game characters now that she knew Tucker was safe. "Hello little, uh... You're a Moogle, right?" she asked, sounding embarassed. She was still new to this world.

Molly laughed. "Of course I'm a Moogle! Kupopo!" She put her arms around Tucker's left arm lovingly. "Tucker immediately knew what I was when he got here, kupo... I guess you're not a gamer like he is?"

Tucker smiled, staring down at the Moogle girl who had his arm. "My mom's a writer. She writes novels," he said proudly. Mom nodded, practically glowing.

Theodore, April and Yinns decided to come over at this point to meet Tucker's folks. "Hello Tucker's Mom, kupo!"

Mom looked down at the other Moogle. "Who's this one, Tucker?"

"This is Yinns, the Blue Rocket," Tucker introduced, causing Yinns to grin. "And this is Theodore the Black Mage, and April who is a Sniper." Both sides waved at each-other and shook hands.

"Let's talk while we get to the HQ," said Yinns, and they all decided it was a good idea.

"So Tucker," Mom said, handing him a B.L.T. sandwich from her brown paper bag, which he happily started to eat, "Tell us how you got here, if you don't mind. One night we just looked in your room and it looked like someone had came in and kidnapped you!"

"Oh, heheh, no problem. You see..."

Tucker started explaining everything he had done since he had been there... from meeting Molly, to getting new clothes, switching Jobs, the fight at the Bar, stealing the shuttle, his fight against the clan that had come after them at Sierra Gorge... Mom, Gene and Cassandra listened to the story, captivated and wide-eyed, especially at parts such as Yinns's battle with Lord Ivan and his duel against the bully Bangaa Warrior right after getting his clothes.

Molly would occasionally interject something to the conversation, and whenever she and Tucker conversed, Mom couldn't help but smile, knowing how Tucker felt about the young Moogle. If she hadn't discovered that this universe was more than just a game, she never would have thought a human could feel these things for a Moogle. But this was real.

Gene talked to the other members of Clan Indigo as well, getting to know them and their world better. Most of the things she told the clanners about her world made them raise their eyebrows, while many of the the things they told her left her speechless and in awe.

Cassandra said nothing the whole time, still shy and a bit scared. As far as video games went, the only ones she had ever played were Harvest Moon and Sim Ant on the computer. This wasn't anything like _those_.

As they got close to the HQ, Molly slowed down. "Do you smell something burning, kupo?"

Theodore slowed down too. "Yes... That I can say. I hope is isn't the headquarters."

They kept walking, slowly increasing their pace to a run. As they turned the last corner, they saw a smoldering pile of ashes where the tree should have been. Broken, twisted machinery, which had once been cannons embedded in the tree, lay scattered about.

Everyone stared horrified at the spectacle. Then, without warning, Molly broke down, burying her face in Tucker's tunic and weeping. Tucker patted her head consolingly, careful about the pom-pom above her head...

_She had lost yet ANOTHER piece of her life._

"Wow..." Yinns stuttered, "I almost forgot how long it took me to build that thing, kupo... Now it's _gone._"

"Who would do such an awful thing?" April wondered, depressed.

"The ssame one who turned againsst you and sstole all your Mythril," said a familiar voice from behind them.


	25. Fellowship is the Spice of Life

Chapter 24 - _Fellowship is the Spice of Life_

The party turned around almost at the same time to see who it was. About half of them knew the voice, Yinns being the main one. "...You're... Elliot, kupopo!"

Even Theodore didn't see this coming. "Goodness gracious, it's good to see you alive!"

"Elliot!!" Molly ran up with a kupo and pounced in a monster hug. "I was so worried about you, kupo... I didn't know if you had sided with Alastor or were a hostage..."

The Arch Bishop stroked the fur on her head the way he had the Moogles at the Orphanage years and years ago. "It'ss... good to ssee you again too," he said sadly.

Molly looked up at him. "What's wrong?" she asked, sensing something that wasn't right, as had Yinns. "And where did you get those expensive clothes, kupo?"

Elliot knew the truth was going to hurt, but lying was something he didn't do. "Alasstor bound and gagged me, rode the wagon to the middle of nowhere, then sstabbed me a hundred timess with a dagger, leaving me the way I wass in a ditch. ...I died that night."

"Kupo! No!!" Molly yelped. "No! Not you too! Clivia, then Dad, then Alastor, the treehouse, now you... Why!? ...You can't be dead, kupo! Y-You're standing right in front of me!!"

Gene was horrified. Maybe this world wasn't such a peaceful place after all...

Elliot sighed. "I am an Arch Bisshop now, little Molly. Appointed to do one final tassk by the Bangaa Totema himsself..."

Tucker stepped forward to comfort Molly. She wrapped her arms around his torso, sobbing. "Please don't go home... Please... ku... kupoooooo..." Tucker glanced over at his mom, who stared at the two of them, getting all choked up... Mom squeezed the hands of her two daughters, who stared at Tucker and Molly, worried about her.

What could Tucker say? It was as if he couldn't stay and he couldn't go. Either way, he'd have to give up something very valuable to him. He hadn't talked to Mom about what to do yet, but he would before this was over, and he had a good idea about what she'd say. It was almost too much for him.

Elliot knelt down so he was eye level with the heartbroken Moogle girl. "Molly," he said. She looked at him, Elliot with his black, steely, sincere eyes, and she calmed down slightly. "Molly, I'm ssorry..." he gently told her, "Your Dad lovess you very much... and your fairy friend Clivia thinkss about you every day. I know." Pause, as he brushed the girl's furry cheek with his cold, scaly hand. "It'ss never eassy to ssay goodbye to ssomeone you love... and really, thiss clan iss family to you, sso lossing me may be hard. But jusst think... After my tassk iss complete, I'll be in the Promissed Landss."

"You mean... heaven?"

"For the Bangaa people, yess, Heaven. That'ss eternal life, Molly... We can sstill ssee each-other through dreamss and vissionss, can't we? And I'll be watching over you and the clan, making you sstronger, too..."

Molly felt better. But then she grew worried again. "What... What kind of task did you... With Alastor, right? Do you have to..."

He stood up. "Get him back for you," he finished. Molly perked up with a surprised kupo.

"Get him back? ...You're not gonna kill him?"

Tucker. "We have no reason to kill him, do we? I don't think it should have to come to that... I mean it _might,_ but... it shouldn't."

Elliot turned to the group. "I am on a misssion from Adrammelech, and I would like your asssissstancce, but I cannot forcce any of you to help me. I musst ssave Alasstor'ss ssoul." He paused, remembering what had happened... "He iss... greatly pained, and needss our help. I will go alone if I have to, for it iss the tassk I've been asssigned..."

"Don't be silly, kupo," said Yinns, stepping forward. "I'm in. He's still part of the clan as far as I'm concerned... and so are you, Elliot."

"I'm in too," April added. "I have nothing to lose. 'Sides, you'll need my speed and tracking powers, hee hee!"

"He deserves my help," said Theodore. "I'm in. I couldn't say no if I desired to."

"So am I, kupo," Molly said immediately. "I'll fight any battle to get my friends back."

Tucker looked over at Mom, who was smiling, but still clearly worried. She came over to Tucker.

"Tucker, no... You're not going to risk your life again... I can't lose you again, Tucker..."

Tucker sighed. "Where Molly goes, I have to go." Tucker sighed, expecting another no from Mom, knowing that he would have to defy her no matter what, something he deep down always hated to do...

But Mom's reaction wasn't what he thought. "I understand, hun. It's for Molly... I know how it's like..." Though it was highly considered unlikely in her world, in this world the feelings Tucker had for Molly couldn't be denied, and Mom could clearly see them.

But Elliot was still worried for everyone... He gripped his Snake Staff tightly, and closed his eyes. "Alasstor iss in Jagd Ahli," he said authoritatively.

Tucker felt his blood chill. _That was where Molly's dad had died._ He looked over at Molly, who's expression had become grave.

"Are any of you sstill in?" Elliot asked. There was a pause, then...

"Yes, kupo, I am." Yinns. "I've fought lawless battles in the skies... I don't see why I shouldn't do it on the ground, kupo. If I die, I have no regrets."

April and Theodore nodded, their expression showing they agreed with Yinns.

Molly nodded too. "I'll do it, kupo. There's more to it than just Alastor now. Now it's personal." Her tone was low, and the crowd stared worriedly at her. She spoke up. "If Alastor is in the Jagds with a Jagd clan, kupo, he might be with the same clan that killed my Dad. I cannot... I cannot let that stand... I have grown much stronger since meeting Tucker, and..." She trailed off, a mixed bag of emotions. Elliot knew the truth, but kept quiet.

Tucker. "I'm still in. If Molly's vengance is involved, I can't sit this out. Where she goes, I go," he said again, with conviction.

"Tucker, I..." Molly started to say.

"I know, Molly... You can't stand to see me die... Well, that goes both ways. You mean the world to me, Molly... Let's go in this together. And I won't die... Not as long as you don't."

"Okay, kupo. I understand." She didn't sound too sure, so Tucker gave her a small hug, which she returned with a big one.

There was silence for a while, before Yinns made an observation. "We're all pretty tired, and it's getting late, kupo... We need a place to rest before the trip tomorrow... Where will we go for tonight?"

"My house," suggested Molly. "It's the least I can do, kupo. You've been away for a long time..."

"You sure, Molly?

She nodded. "Follow me, guys." They all went with her. Elliot protested at first, stating that since he was technically dead it wouldn't be right for him to join them, but Yinns denounced that theory as poppycock, though put in more of a vulgar term, at least to Moogles.

* * *

Molly's mom, who was at the house, had almost expected their arrival, and had a feast prepared for them, probably conjured up with several uses of her new ability Cuisine. They all ate duck that night, and since the table wasn't big enough they were scattered around various spots in the living room, on the couch, chairs, the floor, etcetera.

Tucker's mom ate next to Tucker and Molly.

"I don't get what's going on," Mom said to them. "What's Jagd Ahli?"

Tucker thought about whether or not he should tell her or not. Molly came to his rescue. "It's the name of the place Alastor is hiding, kupo. Alastor is a clan member that went bad on us, kupo, and with Elliot's help we're gonna go try to make him forgive us. So to speak."

"Is it dangerous?"

Molly frowned. "Yes, it's probably the most dangerous thing Tucker and I will ever do in our lives, kupo."

Mom sighed, upset, but accepting. "I was afraid of that..."

Tucker again. "...Did you ever get the feeling you were doing something completely irrational but you had to do it anyway because it was just right?"

"Yes..." she thought, "...when I married your father."

Molly would love to hear _that_ story sometime, she thought privately, trying not to giggle.

"Well, I guess I can't stop you," Mom slowly said... "Promise me you'll come back alive?"

"No promises. But I promise I'll do my best." He turned to Gene and Cassandra. "Gene, Cassie..."

"Yes big brother?" Gene asked, still sounding a bit more concerned than her usual fearless self.

Tucker sighed, drawing the stick-shaped artifact from his belt and giving it to Gene. "If I get myself killed fighting out there, this is what you have to remember me by. It's a magic wand. ...Molly gave it to me."

Molly smiled. Gene looked down at the Rod... "Oh... Okay, Tucker... Thank you. But you won't really die, will you?"

"No promises, but I'll do my best."

Gene looked away, and wiped her eyes... "This world..." she said... "It's not all fun and games, like I thought, is it? People can... get hurt sometimes..."

"Just like our world," Tucker replied. "This isn't a game, this is real. But don't give up on me when I'm out there fighting. Promise?"

She nodded. "You can do it, Tucker!"

Everyone soon finished their dinner, and chatted up a storm, having a good old time. That's when Molly got a great idea. "Tucker, kupo, you should teach us how to play Yahtzee."

"YEAH!!" Gene exclaimed, loving the idea. "All we need is dice and paper!"

Yinns strode over. "Did somebody say dice, kupo? What size? 6-sided, 12-sided, 20-sided..."

"Whoa, you have 20-sided dice?" Tucker asked, impressed.

Yinns nodded. "I use them when I play Chess with my military friends, kupo."

"I've _never_ heard of using dice in a game of Chess."

"How else are you supposed to calculate the stat gains when pieces level up and how much damage they take from attacks, kupo?"

Mom was speechless, Tucker nearly the same. "N-never mind, I don't _want_ to know... We'll need five 6-sideds and plenty of paper."

Yinns reached into his oversized coat pockets and had the materials almost on the spot. Tucker gathered everyone together at the table; some people had to stand, Tucker being one of them as he didn't mind. "Okay guys, we're gonna play Yahtzee now, just like my dad taught me. Lemme explain the rules..."

And they stayed up for hours, playing Tucker's other-worldly game known as Yahtzee. Even Elliot participated, grateful to have one final social activity before he finished his work in the material plane and rose to the Promised Lands. Theodore proved to be the best player at the game, reminding Tucker a lot about his dad's skill... Theodore was about on par with Tucker's dad. The game also served to break Cassandra out of her shell, and she finally started warming up to the various races besides human at the table.

It certainly served to lighten up their spirits and morales for the upcoming confrontation tomorrow.

* * *

The house wasn't meant for 10 people, so people were spread out all over the house, sleeping on couches, chairs and the floor as well as beds. Tucker was going to sleep in the front room when Molly came out from the hallway and tugged at his arm.

"Come on, kupo, you're sleeping in my room again."

"Do I have a choice?" Tucker joked with a laugh.

"Nope," Molly replied, smiling and returning the laugh. She half-dragged him into her room, careful not to make much noise. Inside, Tucker took his blanket that Molly's mom had given him and started to curl up on the floor...

"Don't you want the bed, kupo?"

"It's Moogle-sized," he pointed out. "Too small for me. I like the floor."

"Well then, kupo, I guess the floor will do." She got out of her covers and pulled her blanket to the floor next to Tucker.

"What the hell?" Tucker said uneasily as Molly curled up next to him. "What are... Why aren't you sleeping in your bed?"

"'Cause," she said sleepily, moving over so that her soft head lay against Tucker's chest. Tucker sighed deeply, stroking Molly's fur in a state of relaxation. They both said nothing for a long time, but lay awake with their eyes closed, each enjoying the other's closeness.

"Tucker?" Molly asked sweetly, apparent that she was drifting off.

"Hmm?"

"Have you ever been with a girl?"

Tucker sighed again. "Yeah. Once. ...I don't wanna talk about it if I can help it."

"Okay." Molly sighed too and kupoed faintly, completely relaxed.

Long silence, then Tucker spoke. "But I'll tell you if you want."

"It's okay," Molly sleepily answered. Then after a pause, "Besides, kupo, you have to leave tomorrow."

Tucker rested his hand on her furry cheek. "Is that stressing you out, Molly?"

"Maybe a little," she said right away. She said nothing after that, and the only sounds that could be heard for several minutes were their soft breathing and the flickering of the dim candle.

"Molly?" Tucker asked, finally beginning to drift off himself...

"Mmm?"

"You rock my world."

"Mmmmmm." She finished drifting off, as did he. They both fell asleep smiling that night, feeling secure and complete. Neither one of them had any bad dreams about the Jagd battle that was to come tomorrow, or of Alastor's many possible fates.


	26. The Legendary Bird

Chapter 25 - _The Legendary Bird_

"Hyaa! Come 'ere ya little chicken bastard!"

"_Wark!_"

Another arrow whizzed through the air, missing the mark by half an inch. It was as if the Chocobo could read her mind, knowing where the shot was going to be 10 seconds in the future at any given time. It expertly zigzagged as it escaped from its predator, leaping from ground to jutting-out rocks, to hollowed out logs and stumps, keeping the chase very real and difficult. She had been chasing it for almost half an hour and was running out of patience.

For 10 years, however, Mickey had never tired out during a chase, nor had she ever lost a target, and refused to give up. She ducked behind a thick cluster of trees, trying to head the Chocobo off at the pass. This one was GOOD... Was it half human? No Chocobo had the ability to reason, or anything close to it. They were just oversized sacks of feathers as far as Mickey was concerned, and this Chocobo in particular was nowhere NEAR worth the effort's worth of work it took to kill, except for the fact that Mickey refused to let the prey get the better of the huntress.

Loading a golden Sidewinder Arrow into her bow, she darted out from the other side of the tree grove, right in front of the fleeing bird. It was startled. "WARK!?"

"Take THIS!!" She let it fly, and the Chocobo amazingly twisted its body to avoid the full brunt of the attack. The arrow nicked its skin, however, and due to the monster-killing potency of a Sidewinder Arrow it sent him rolling to the ground. Mickey's blood heated up as adrenaline filled her from getting the hit in at last. She immediately loaded another one and hit the bird full-on before it could get to its feet. "Die!!"

The heavily injured Chocobo squirmed, trying to get to its feet. _**Amazing**_. Any other Chocobo would've given up by now. It managed to get to its feet and took off again, moving slightly slower than before, quite obviously in unimaginable pain.

Mickey loaded a special arrow with a bulb at the tip instead of an arrowhead, and let it fly. It exploded into a net, tangling the Chocobo and pinning it to the ground. The untameable Chocobo kicked in all directions and struggled fruitlessly against this unknown intrusion. "Wark warrrrk!" it cried before settling down at the full mercy of the hunting net.

Mickey had Captured the wild Chocobo with her Hunter tech, and could now do as she pleased with it. Her first and only thought: kill it. It was food.

As she approached the fallen prey with her knife outstretched, the Chocobo cried shrilly like Mickey had never head before. "Kwaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!" It seemed desprate, as if it were pleading 'Free me, please free me!'

Mickey had a special harmony with animals... The Chocobo was not afraid to die, she knew. It wanted freedom. It wanted to run. Like her, it was a wilderness-born beast of untamable passion and even agression at times.

"You're... no ordinary Chocobo," she quietly said.

"Wark," the bird responded, as if it actually understood human speech. Did it? Mickey felt like it had.

Mickey reached down and slowly began cutting free the net she had thrown at it with her special hunting knife. The bird started to struggle. "Ssssh, sssh, I'm setting you free," she told it gently. "I won't kill you. Not you." Mickey could easily be gentle-minded while dealing with animals, whereas dealing with people tended to cause her raging temper to display freely.

"Wark..." the Chocobo replied, calming down a little. She finished cutting the last string, and the Chocobo got to its feet, standing to its full height. It was slightly big for a Chocobo, and its shape and feathers were shaped perfectly, as if created by an expert artist.

It looked like the personal charriot of a king, Mickey thought.

"Wark." The Chocobo agreed with her.

"Dammit, stop doing that!" Mickey exclaimed at it, its seemingly mind-reading abilities starting to freak her out.

"Wark!"

She took a step towards the magnificent bird...

"WARK!" It reared up and snapped at her, missing seemingly on purpose. Mickey had been warned.

"Sssh, I'm not gonna hurt you fella..." She was being truthful. This Chocobo was too kingly to kill for food. There was something about it that was almost human... She stepped closer.

"Wark?" There was a look in its eyes. A look of pleading... Mickey knew what it wanted, somehow. Either it was her connection with the wilderness or this Chocobo had psychic powers. Maybe both.

She took out some medicine from her belt, and bent down... A red wound, reminiscent of a scorch mark, was visible on the Chocobo's underside where the Sidewinder Arrow had hit. She took some salve out of the container and reached down to apply some to the wound...

Immediately the bird shrieked. "Kweeeeeeeeeh WARK WARK!" A beak came down at Mickey's face, but she pulled her head back, taking the attack right below the neck. She grunted; at least the bird was holding back... If the peck had been full powered, it would've drawn blood, and a lot of it. "Bird, settle down or I'm gonna _hold_ you down!" The bird wanted the wound treated, maybe, but it could only barely fight its wild instincts. The beak came down again, but harder.

Mickey gripped the part of its ostrich-like neck below the head to stop it. It began to squirm all over the place, almost knocking Mickey over. She pushed outward, rolled and pinned the Chocobo to the ground. "Fine, I'll play your game," she told it in an onery tone. "Now hold _still_." Holding the Chocobo pinned to the dirt in a position of dominance, she finished applying the salve to the wound and held her hand there. The Chocobo didn't fight back this time, for Mickey had earned its cooperation due to the dominance tackle, just like any wild animal would do in the wild.

While not an X-Potion, the cream was a special medicine found in certain berries on Sierra Gorge, mixed with the nectar from a white flower also found there and ground together gently for 30 minutes with tiny traces of other, more common plant matter. Only Mickey knew the art of making it, and it helped to counteract the grievious effects of a Sidewinder Arrow to a monster. The scorch wound began to fade in little time.

"Wark..." It was the Chocobo saying 'Thank you'.

"You're welcome," Mickey replied. "Here, you're free. Go!" She took her hands off the bird and stood up.

It didn't budge. It looked at Mickey, fire in its eyes. A fighting look. But it didn't want to fight.

Mickey knew what it wanted. She warily approached its side, hesitated, and hoisted herself on its back... The Chocobo stood there and let her, in fact it even shifted its weight to the side a little as she climbed on to make it easier for her to get up.

_'Dang, this'll be something,'_ she thought. _'I ride Panthers more often than these things...'_

"Wark!" it said to her. Mickey felt powerful on the back of this Chocobo... She felt like she were on the wings of God. It was definitely no ordinary Chocobo. But she still didn't know what about it was different... '_What does it want?'_ she thought. "Wark," it said in response.

"Seriously, cut that out!" the huntress exclaimed. "What? Did you want to ride with me? You're the boss."

"Wark _wark!_"

The Chocobo kicked off and began to run. _This was more like it._ She held on gently to the sides of its neck, wondering if it could go faster, as this was definitely not its top speed.

In response, the Chocobo kicked off an angular rock, and took to the air. But it wasn't flying; it was more of a boosted jump. The bird flapped its wings for a moment, changing direction in midair and landing without losing any speed. Mickey gasped.

_It was headed right for that cliff._

"Wark!!" it exclaimed. Mickey felt the words. _'So you wanna go top speed?'_ Fire filled her heart again as they approached the cliff, Mickey holding on to the upper part of the bird's belly as it ran right off the edge of that cliff.

But it didn't fall. The Chocobo was running down the 90-grade decline of the main canyon of Sierra Gorge at over 100 MPH. What amazed Mickey was how she didn't fly off the bird's back, but if a Chocobo could speak telepathically just by saying Wark, or at least a similar effect by them reading the expression on each-other's faces, this shouldn't surprise her, she decided. As the bird dashed down the wall-like slope, a yellow, sparkling aura surrounded them and the Chocobo caught fire.

"WHOA!"

This was real fire, too, and it was burning Mickey's arms and legs. But just slightly. They were moving so fast they were leaving the flames behind them in the wind-- the Chocobo had changed direction and was running along the side of the wall instead of down it, defying gravity with its speed.

Mickey watched, shocked. The fire was burning away all the Chocobo's feathers, but it was coming from them as well.

"You're gonna get _cooked alive _you silly featherbrain!" she called to it, alarmed. It turned its head to look at her.

"Wark!" it said. Mickey heard the words. _Not a chance!_ They took to the air, for real this time, which was interesting, since Chocobos couldn't fly.

Now the bird began to reveal its true form.

Time seemed to slow down as the air around them changed... Mickey lost sight of where they were as golden energy shot through the Chocobo like ripples in a pool. Its color began to change-- the white underbelly darkened, becoming a burnt yellow, and the feathers grew in size and shape, becoming wavy and long, changing color to a yellow-orange that seemed to glow like the sun. The Chocobo's blue eyes faded to a dark orange, shining with power, and the orange beak changed shape from a jagged, beat up model to a smooth, slender form, red instead of orange. The feathers on its head now resembled a crown, similar to an adult phoenix.

Mickey had only read about this supposedly mythical creature, the one she was now riding, in books.

Suddenly they landed from whatever space-time oddity they had been in for however long. The Chocobo had never actually taken flight-- it was another long jump, and they were now racing down the river at almost 100 MPH, somehow not falling in. As the Chocobo ran it lit the air up behind it with a hot, golden shine.

Trees appeared in front of them. "Watch out!" Mickey called. Without skipping a beat the Chocobo leapt up and dashed across the tops of the trees without losing more than a few MPH in speed, leaping from one tree with one foot to another with the other foot. Their movement became a wild zigzag.

Then the glowing Chocobo turned again and raced up the side of the wall, not losing any speed. A Malboro stood in its way. The Chocobo merely leapt over it, reached flat terrain, kept going and ran up another wall. They were at the Waterfall Ridge.

"Where are we going!?" Mickey yelled over the rush of the wind, still holding on tightly.

"Wark!" it replied. Mickey grinned.

They cleared the top of the Waterfall Ridge, going over the other side and were, before they knew it, on a familiar plateau. Then it was up another wall, through some trees and the Chocobo suddenly skidded to a stop, momentarily igniting the ground where it skid.

They were right next to Mickey's cabin.

Mickey half-climbed, half-slid off the Chocobo's back, shaking. She stared at its majesty. "I can't believe it..." she stammered in awe... "After all these years of reading books about you, I finally... get to _ride_ you."

"Wark," replied the Golden Chocobo, the legendary bird that could cross ANY terrain effortlessly, even the very ether itself if it had to. Mickey hadn't even gotten a taste of that. Apparently it could also reach speeds of around 100 MPH, never tired from running, and never died of old age.

"But... why me? ...Is it just luck?"

"Kweh!" the mythic bird answered, rearing its head back. "Kwaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr!"

"Eaaaaaasy, now," Mickey soothed, petting its mane of feathers down its shimmering neck. She looked deep into its firey, wild eyes. They burned into her soul.

"Wark." The bird longed to be tamed, for its fires to be quenched... It had to ride.

Mickey rested a hand on its back. "I shall name you... _Mussashi."_ She named her animal after a brave fencer she had read about a long time ago.

"Warrrrrrk!" the regal Chocobo cried in agreement.

She pet its beak. "Man, you really _are_ a beast."

"Kweh."

_

* * *

_

POUND POUND POUND.

It sounded like someone was desperate to beat Mickey's door down.

"God dammit, who could it be at this time of night?" She made herself decent and stormed to the door, uttering profanity under her breath. She swung the door open. Standing there was a middle-aged Viera Elementalist equipped with a Joyeuse and a green scarf. She had perfect, jet-white hair, cute glasses, and seemed alive in the moonlight.

"You're Mickey of Clan Indigo?" she asked politely.

"Please, don't flatter yourself girl. I was never actually a member of that clan." She started to close the door, but the Viera girl propped her foot in the doorway.

"I heard, from my sources," she continued promptly, "that Clan Indigo is off to the Jagds for an important mission."

Mickey frowned. "So... tell me how this concerns me again?"

"It might not... Just thought I'd let you know. In case you wanted to help."

Mickey stared annoyed at the Viera for a good 10 seconds. Then she sighed. "Jagd Ahli is the closest one around here, and it's a good 3 days away at the _least._"

"If you have the will, you'll find a way." She grinned. "That's something I've learned from the tribe ever since I was two."

"Grr! Get outta my sight!" Mickey slammed the door in the Viera's face, storming back to bed. She lie there awake, unable to fall back to sleep due to sheer peeved-offedness. The moon was shining directly into her pillow.

"Why does that fuckin' _bother _me so bad?" she asked herself. "Stupid Viera girl from the other side of Sierra Gorge... I told that tribe never to bug me for _anything,_ unless it was poachers... Ever since that _incident..._" She pulled the covers over her head, closing her eyes, but as she lie still her blood began to boil...

"Gah I can't stand it!" She scrambled out of bed and into one of her black suits and ran outside. She needed to kill something. She hadn't killed the Golden Chocobo, Mussashi, she had met today, and anyway he had run off after she went inside her cabin, refusing to follow her in. She may have never seen it again. Good riddance... She couldn't possibly take care of a legendary beast all her life.

Mickey slid down a small slope, aiming for the trees where she was sure she would find a Jawbreaker or something to hunt.

The air around her changed. She slowed to a stop. "What the..."

A magnificent golden light flared up in the distance. At first she thought it was the sun rising over the horizon, but the light was getting bigger. Then it dawned on her.

A golden blur raced towards her, skidding to a stop and igniting the ground as it did so. There stood Mussashi, in his full coat of flowing, golden feathers.

"Are you gonna show up _every_ time I go out for a hunt?" she demanded of her animal. "You'll scare away the prey, you winged oaf!"

"Wark!" It looked at her with its eyes of passion and fire, which spoke to her. '_We must go'._

"Go? Where do you want to go? ...Look, I have to go kill something, you can go by yourself."

"WARK!!" it cried angrily.

"What's your deal!?" She started off towards the trees. It followed her, its golden glow sure to scare off anything hiding in the dark underbrush. She kicked at the bird. "Leave me alone, dammit! You heard me, I said--"

"Kweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!" Its bellowing cry almost blew her to her feet. She scrambled back, the bird following in almost a chasing manner.

"Okay! _OKAY!!"_ she screamed, waving her hands, frustrated. "What the hell do you want!?"

"WARK," it cried commandingly. It's eyes glistened. _'Adventure.'_ And Mickey had an idea of what kind of adventure in particular it was after.

"What, the clan?" she questioned, her anger turning to uncomfortable curiosity. How did Mussashi know about her clan? More mind-reading?

"Wark."

Mickey sighed, thinking about what the tribal Viera had said... Yinns was taking his clan to the Jagds tomorrow. Why would he do that? The Jagds were where Molly's dad had died, according to Molly when they had all talked the previous night while eating Rockbeast... Was it revenge?

There was also the possibility of Alastor hiding there after he had betrayed them by stealing and selling the Mythril caravan... That would've been revenge too. Either way appealed to Mickey... She knew how powerful the feeling of vengefulness was.

Suddenly, Mickey realized how much of a help she could be to Molly. Here at her disposal she had a Golden Chocobo that could cross _any_ terrain in the blink of an eye, or faster. She could go places Molly had longed to go in the tales she had told her... And she knew just where she'd start.

She got on her ride. "Okay, Mussashi. Let's go somewhere." Her eyes told the bird where that somewhere was.

"Wark!!"

Mussashi broke into a sprint, and Mickey held on. They approached a flat that seemed to go on for a while, and the golden bird began to increase in speed. For the first time, Mickey was afraid of falling off.

"Hey, slow down! Dammit, this is nuts!" She knew it could be fast, but this was too much. "Wait, where are we going exactly!?"

The Chocobo didn't slow down. It sped up _still_, and the air around them changed again. Everything seemed to become blurry around Mickey, as they reached a speed that felt to Mickey as though her soul wouldn't be able to keep up with the speed of her body... that the wind would just rip it right out from her.

Rainbow-colored rays of light shone past them, dissolving the world around them. Mussashi was crossing the ether.

"_What the hell is THIS!!_" Mickey cried, but her exclamation was absorbed by the infinity around them. They literally flew through hyperspace, crossing hundreds of miles in less than a split second's time, as they were in a realm where time failed to exist... The flashing colors, colors no human had ever seen before, almost sent Mickey into a state of epilipsy. She shut her eyes, still unable to shut the ultimately bright flashes around her from sight, shapes and colors she had never seen in her life...

_How much longer would this go on?_

Then the air around them shattered like glass, and Mickey was thrown off the bird's back and sent into a forward tumble. She rolled to a stop against a carved, stone wall, thankfully not hitting it fast enough to break anything. But she would be sore for a while. Her body lie faced against the stone ground, smoldering and hot to the touch from the ether-crossing experience.

"Wark," said Mussashi, standing nearby and completely unphased. It was used to this sort of travel. It walked up to its riding companion to see if she was okay. "Wark!"

Mickey came to her senses, feeling as though her head was trying to pound its way out of her skull. She turned her head, eyeing the golden, shining bird. "You're... You're somethin' else." She had read all about Golden Chocobos in the books, knowing of their ability to travel across the ether, where dimensions didn't exist and one point in the plane was the same as being at any point, so they could appear anywhere on the planet without any actual time passing. To the Chocobos, the ether was like any other terrain, and they could of course cross any terrain effortlessly. She never imagined it would've felt like _that._

The huntress slowly crawled to her feet, brushing her firey red hair out of her eyes and looking around. She knew where she was.

She was in Sprohm, the capital of the Bangaa people, home to the First Church of Adrammelech and, more importantly, Ivalice Prison.


	27. Rescue Me

Chapter 26 - _Rescue Me_

"Halt."

Two Bangaa Templar stood before Mickey, barring her from the main entrance of the prison. She didn't like taking orders, but the guards were just doing their job. She halted.

"What iss your name, and what bussinesss do you have here?" one of the Templar asked her in a stern voice.

"I'm Mickey. Come to ask for the release of a friend." She knew what she was doing. The Chocobo brought her here for a reason; it probably knew even more about her thoughts than she did...

"Very well. Follow me," the other Templar commanded, opening the steel doors of the massive, towering, red stone structure and disappearing inside. Mickey hesitated for only a slight moment, then followed the Bangaa through the dark hallway. Mussashi, disguised as a normal Chocobo as Mickey originally discovered it, waited near the city Pub for her to return.

The dark hallway wasn't terribly long, but was only lit by a single torch. Mickey felt like she was walking into the embrace of death itself, which she had done on several other occasions so this didn't bother her too much. She would hate to be locked up here though.

The Templar stood aside, and an old Bangaa wearing small spectacles stood behind a stone counter. Mickey approached the man.

"Welcome to prisson," the prison secretary said in an older, more dragonic Bangaa dialect. "You're here to requesst a releasse, are you?"

"That's about right," Mickey replied, unnaturally not one bit unnerved. "Her name's... Clivia."

"Hmm, unussual name... What racce?" the man said, pulling out a few parchments.

"Sprite." She paused. "Yeah, I know it's a little unusual."

The Bangaa put down his papers and stared at Mickey over his glasses. "Ssprite? ...What clan?"

Mickey tried to remember. "I believe... Tricky Spirits. Hailing from Koringwood. Yes, that's right."

The Bangaa frowned. "We... don't ussually let Monssterss go."

"Ever?" This was the first time she had heard of that clause, if it were even true.

"Yess. Usually the Palacce takess them for food or labor. ...We don't get a lot of Fairiess, though..." He looked through some more parchments, pulling one out. "Sshe'ss sstill here, apparently. In the medical wing of the prisson."

Mickey's blood froze. She better have been alright. "Medical? What's wrong with her?"

"My documentss ssay sshe fell into a coma from sstresss..." He frowned as he saw the grave expression on Mickey's face. "Do you wissh to ssee her? I can arrange that without a fee."

"Please," she answered. "Then I'm bailing her outta here. I brought plenty of Gil."

"We'll ssee."

The Bangaa walked from behind the counter and lead Mickey down another corridor, not as dark as the first one, and around a corner. They went up a staircase and through a wider hallway with many doors. They went through one of the doors, resulting in another hallway, which ended in a small stone room with padded beds. An old Viera sat in a chair next to one of the beds, with the pale figure of a Sprite tucked neatly under a velvet blanket and lying on her side. The Sprite's once green hair had streaks of tan in several places and was dried out, much like dead grass.

"Hass sshe improved any?" the old Bangaa asked the Viera, who was apparently the nurse.

The nurse gravely shook her head. "I've occasionally worked my White Magic on her, but it seems to have little effect..." She turned to Mickey. "You here to release her?"

Mickey stared at the dying fairy, then back at the Viera nurse. "Yes, that's my intent. How much?"

"Sshe only broke one law," the Bangaa told her. "3,000 Gil."

"Sold," Mickey immediately answered, forking over a bag of Gil she pulled from her belt. Luckily she had her "wallet" handy at all times, for cases such as this. The Bangaa quickly counted it...

"You're 500 Gil sshort." He didn't look happy to admit this.

Mickey couldn't believe it. "What!? That can't be right... Let me count it!" The Huntress held the Gil in her two hands and counted it just as quickly as the Bangaa. Sure enough...

"No way... Of all the times for this to happen..."

"You know," the secretary thought, "I can probably arrange for her to be let go anyway."

"Wow, you'd do that?"

"The recordss ssay that sshe got carded while healing an ally... but according to the Judge that day, Clivia'ss clan would have won the engagement if sshe hadn't done that."

"What? You're serious?" Mickey made a mental note to tell Molly this later.

"Yess. Which meanss, sshe wass only healing her ally becausse sseeing the ally getting beaten up wass too emotional. Sso, pay what you have and the Prisson will cover the resst."

"Thanks so much, sir," Mickey replied, very very relieved. She gave the Gil back to the Bangaa secretary, as the Viera wrapped the fairy girl up in the velvet blanket, gently lifted her up and handed her to Mickey. Mickey draped the fairy's body over her own shoulder, holding it up with one arm. She could faintly feel the fairy breathing... At least it was alive.

"Farewell," said the Bangaa, a little worried. "It iss my prayer that sshe recoverss at your handss."

"Yeah. Mine too. And seriously, thanks." And she was led out of the prison facility by a Templar.

* * *

"What was that noise??"

A fairy girl, sitting by a babbling brook in the morning-lit forests of Koringwood, stood up and listened. The sound had been like a blowing wind that cut like a scythe, then ended abruptly. It had come from deeper within the woods...

"Omigosh, I better go tell the clan..." she quickly said to herself, then stopped. "But... what _was_ that??" She cursed herself. Curiosity had to have been the most powerful quality in any Sprite or Titania that existed... She could have the most self-control any fairy ever had but wouldn't be able to resist going to see what that noise was. Off she went.

A golden light brightened the woods ahead. The fairy tensed for battle. _Something powerful was coming._

They came into view. It was a female Hunter, riding a Golden Chocobo... carrying a familiar one of her kind she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Is that Clivia!?" the fairy shouted, recognizing her immediately. She ran up to Mickey, panicked. "What have you done to her!?"

"HEY. It wasn't me you little dipshit, the Prison did this to her." Her expression was that of concern, despite feeling dissed. "You with the Tricky Spirits?"

"Wait, you bailed her? Oh my gosh..." The fairy's demeanor turned from hostile to highly emotional. "Yes, I'm with the Spirits. My name's Iris. I've been in command while Clivia's been gone... I thought we'd never get her back... Thank you... Oh gosh, thank you..."

"Alright, don't panic... Take me to your clan base and we'll see what I can do to help," Mickey responded. Iris wasted no time, leading Mickey through the wilderness to a small forest clearing with an overgrown shrine at the far end. The only members of the Tricky Spirits that were awake and present were Kreppl the Cream Flan and the Blue Panther that had been closest to Clivia in terms of friendship. Mickey fought her Hunter lust to attack the Panther when she saw it.

Mickey laid Clivia down in the grassy dirt. The Panther whined when it saw her body, coming over to lick it. Kreppl was surprised too. "Blargg, human give back clan leader?"

"Yep," Iris answered. "But I don't know if we'll get her back from this condition... What will you do?" she asked Mickey.

Mickey had knelt down with a second container of her miracle salve, and was applying it to Clivia's pale skin. "This is herbal stuff," she explained. "Healing medicine. I just hope it'll work..." She kept working, eventually finishing applying it to all parts of the fairy's skin. Clivia was coated in a thin layer of Mickey's herbal masterpiece all over, even her wings, which were brittle, dried and cracked. "It's up to time to do the rest now."

Iris sat down, running her hands slowly through her mentor's once silky green hair, her eyes closed in a state of solemness... Mickey sat down against the overgrown shrine, and the Panther came up and licked her face with it's big, friendly tounge. Much to her own surprise, she found herself petting the beast's head and behind its ears...

She saw its eyes, and it knew. Mickey was a hunter, the Panther's natural enemy. The battle between their kinds had dated back for as long as there were weapons, which was a very long time. But they were just roles. There was no hate between Mickey and the beast. Concern for a friend had brought them on the same side, and here the two members of opposite teams in an ongoing war could enjoy a prolonged moment of serenity between them.

Iris looked up at the huntress. "What made you decide to help a clan of wilderness dwellers?"

She sighed. "Because. Molly needs a friend."

The fairy girl's eyes widened. "You know Molly?"

"Fairly, at least," Mickey replied, laying down in the moist earth. "We only rendevoued for a day. I knew her clan a little better, though."

"...I'm afraid I never met her clan..."

"Well, from her side of the story..." Mickey sighed before continuing, "...Clivia was only the start of her losses. Next her dad was killed by a Jagd clan, then a member of her clan not only killed another clanner, but stole everything from the rest of 'em and left them at my place in the peaks of Sierra Gorge." She paused. "I'm assuming she's out for revenge now..."

Clivia groaned and stirred. "Uuu..."

Iris and Mickey gave the recovering fairy some space. But no other response came from her. She appeared to be asleep.

"Let's let her rest," Mickey recommended, and Iris nodded. They both got to their feet. "Oh. By the way, I'm Mickey." She had just remembered she had not told Iris her name.

"Thank you Mickey..." Iris told her quietly. "Hey... Go hunt an Antlion."

Mickey stared down at her. "Really? ...You wouldn't mind?" She was quite surprised that the fairy would recommend that to a wilderness dweller's general adversary. She had forgotten about her earlier desire to hunt something, but now that Iris had offered for her to, it was coming back...

"Go." Iris smiled. "As a gift. You look like you need it." She was not talking about hunger, either.

Mickey slowly nodded. "Yeah. Yeah I do. ...Thanks, Iris. Be back in a bit." Turning about and drawing her Greatbow, she started off into the deeper part of the woods, eyes and ears scanning the wild for signs of a wild Antlion. If a Panther showed up, she would not hunt it. She would not hunt anything else.

She felt honored by those who lived as one with the land. She was only too grateful to return the honor.


	28. The Journey to War

Chapter 27 - _The Journey to War_

Six Black Chocobos, each carrying a ride, sped across the rugged landscape. The road they took was scarsely traveled on, and very hilly, complete with jagged rocks here and there, an absence of wildlife and plantlife, and a black-grey, forboding carpet of clouds overhead. But the Chocobos were good at traveling this sort of terrain-- while not as prodigious as the Golden Chocobo, the Black species of Chocobo could still cross many kinds of terrain, such as sharp mountains and even entire rivers or lakes as long as they weren't too deep. For this kind of versatility, the Black Chocobo had evolved into a very speedy model of itself over the years, and Clan Indigo was making progress to the sinister Jagd Ahli almost three times as fast as they would on foot, and even a little faster than if the rides were of the generic species.

Chocobos were Ivalice's answer to wild horses in Tucker's world. Free spirits, while tamable, they had a boundless thirst to run free across wild lands of the unknown; being confined in small areas could have such a stressful effect on a Chocobo that it may die of shock.

The all-purpose, all-terrain Black Chocobos, the midnight-coated stallions of Ivalice, were intelligent and loyal to anyone who shared their wild will to move and bound across lands with them. Chocobos of all kinds shared a bond with their rider, feeling the rider's desires and fears... As those desires and fears almost always determined where that rider was destined to, a Chocobo would feel the need to take him there, their dedication to their rider just barely prioritized over the bird's fighting wild instinct to simply run, run, run. Thus, Chocobos were a boon to the five civilizations of Ivalice as they slowly progressed through the stages and phases of a growing nation, acting as transports and friends to the humans, Moogles, Bangaa, Nu Mou and Viera peoples that required their service.

Today, that destination the Chocobos felt from the hearts of their riders was Jagd Ahli, the Lost City of Dread-- an old remains of a once bustling city, said to have been swallowed up by an evil air ages ago, killing off those who couldn't manage to flee. There had been numerous theories... most agreed that an evil-born wave of Miasma washed over the city from the eastern seas, either as punishment from the Totema or perhaps Dread Lord Gukko from ages past... The cause was still unknown, but the poison taken from the ground pointed to signs of Miasma when studied. Thus, the City of Ahli was designated a forbidden zone from the Palace and became Jagd Ahli-- a lawless dystopia where it was every man for himself and only the strongest and most troubled wild monsters could thrive.

That's how it remained for a long time, until only about a decade ago when the first signs of serious activity from Jagd-based clans showed up. Jagd Clans were the Ivalice equivelent of the most violent gangs in history from Tucker's world, compromised of anywhere from six to twelve elite clanners with violent, harsh and unforgiving childhoods and memories of their past... Such clanners lived by the groove of violence and war, and died by it as well, with little to no regrets.

It made sense to young Molly that a Jagd Clan would ultimately be responsible for the death of her dad. Molly's dad made some very risky, sometimes downright dangerous, deals with all kinds of people, good, bad and ugly, and when misunderstandings occured, as they always did in life, sometimes people got hurt. Molly had tried to find it in her heart to forgive the troubled members of such a clan for the grievious offense against her and her mom, but the only one she could forgive was Alastor, still feeling close to him for being in the clan for so long.

Molly and Alastor had talked a good deal over the past several moons... She knew he was troubled, in a sense she couldn't quite put her finger on. Sadly he would actually make a pretty good addition to a Jagd Clan, she thought... She had felt this way for a while, but didn't actually think it would become a reality. She rode her Chocobo without saying a word or even a kupo, pondering this happening and how ironic the ebb and flow of life itself could turn out to be.

Tucker felt as though he was going off to war. He had never been a Marine before or anything close to it, but he _knew_ this was the same feeling those people would have had on the plane towards Germany during World War II to deploy paratroopers behind enemy lines. This coming fight meant more than the restoration of a clan. It was a symbolic battle, the fight to repair a broken heart, and Tucker would fight in the name of everyone he loved-- Mom, Gene, Cassandra, his dad whom he never got to see anymore, his friends... and Molly.

He knew he loved Molly. He disregarded the fact that she was a Moogle. Her presence triggered emotions he had never felt before, even while he was with his first girlfriend that had left him for a sports jock. He hadn't actually told her he loved her, but he saw it was as though she knew the secret as if it were really no secret at all. Judging from last night, when she had slept by his side, he felt that she loved him back... Whether it was as a friend or romantically, he wasn't sure, but he hoped he would find out before this was all over.

Elliot was... sad, in a distant way. The feeling of knowing he was actually dead made him feel very lonely. He wanted this to be over right then... so he could go to the Bangaa Promised Lands at long last, the goal of his religous journeys he had made all of his life. He had been made an Arch Bishop by Adrammelech himself after meeting him in person, something he daydreamed about occasionally when he was very young and an apprentice White Monk, doing so each time only to be scolded by his Templar and Bishop mentors in the church... He had long given up such selfish thoughts, having become a humble and devoted healer, but they still managed to come true. The feeling wasn't as happy and joyous as he had thought it would be. Instead it was an ironically draining feeling, to know he had been given great power but at such a cost... He rode on, silent as the others.

The Chocobos slowed down to a fast walk, as the dark grey skies grew darker and a wind picked up. Evening was approaching, and the landscape had changed from a craggy road to a flat badlands. Surprisingly, the air was only cool, not full-on cold, even when it began to rain shortly after... again, not full-on rain, just a drizzle. The sound of thunder boomed in the distance, and the grey skies above the horizon lit up faintly in symphonic expression. It was a beautiful, moving sight. Still no member of the party spoke a word as they rode. A crow flew overhead, circling around the clan and calling. "Caw, cawww!" Was this another symbol? The whole scene was the most beautiful, perhaps even spiritual thing Tucker had ever experienced.

As night drew close, the Chocobos stopped, a large, destroyed city gate not too far in the distance. Skulls mounted on wooden stakes stood on the sides of the gate, probably put there by a warring clan after the City of Ahli fell to the Miasma, either as a tribute or a warning, or both...

"We made it," Yinns quietly declared. "Jagd Ahli." The sight of the desolate town was nearly overwhelming. It was not scary, at least not directly... but the sight of the fog-shrouded roads, disintegrating buildings and destroyed stone was enough to leave one speechless. The word 'lost' wouldn't have been close to describing Jagd Ahli.

"And you think Alastor is in there?" Molly asked.

Yinns gave a solemn nod. "Elliot would know, kupo. Right Elliot?" Elliot nodded as well but without speaking, gripping his Snake Staff almost anxiously.

Tucker got off his Chocobo, in his hand an advanced, sawtooth-bladed knife known as a Sword Breaker. The others followed his example and ditched their rides. "Kurrrr," Tucker's Chocobo softly cooed, knowing its companion was going into battle soon. Tucker rubbed the bird's head briefly, facing the Jagd territory ahead of them. He said nothing.

Molly came up to him, and without taking his eyes off their soon-to-be battlefield he put an arm on Molly's shoulder in a big-brotherly way. He spoke after another lengthy pause.

"Everything I've worked for for 18 years may be over soon," he finally said, his voice low. "I feel like... everything I've ever done was preparing me for this moment."

Molly looked up at her friend Tucker. His expression was very serious.

"Kupo," she finally said, "We won't die. Everything will be alright."

"We don't know that, Molly." He stared down at her through his square-rimmed glasses, concerned. Then he suddenly gave a small chuckle. "We just have to watch ourselves, I guess..."

Yinns was by his other side. "You don't have to do this you know, kupo... You've only been in the clan for a day."

"Where Molly goes is where I go," he immediately replied with conviction.

"I don't want you dead," Molly responded.

"And I don't want _you_ dead, Molly."

Elliot had his head bowed in prayer, asking the Totema to watch over them and offer their protection to the clan while they were in the Jagds. April had her Fey Bow in hand, and Theodore looked to the skies for comfort, raising his Heretic Rod in a state of half-meditation. They all had their own way of dealing with the trial that lie before them.

Finally, Yinns told the Chocobos to wait for them out of sight, and they did so with a series of sad coos. He turned to the clan. "Ready guys?"

"Until the very end, Yinns."

"Shooting straight and true, as usual!"

"In the Totema'ss name."

"Yes, kupo, I'm ready."

"Let's do this, guys."

Yinns was moved and honored to have such a loyal team of friends behind him, willing to put their lives on the line so freely for their leader... "Alright. Thanks guys. ...Onward, kupo!"

Each clanner readied a high-level weapon and proceeded, reaching the broken gate and passing into lawless territory. The Jagds. The jaws of death.


	29. Into the Darkness

Chapter 28 - _Into the Darkness_

"Grrrrrraurr."

Before they had gone thirty paces, a Blade Biter stood before them, growling an eyeing them warily. But it made no move to fight. They kept walking, Tucker and Molly leading, looking around at their surroundings, and the Blade Biter slowly stalked them from behind.

It looked like a bad scene from a horror movie. Broken outdoor equipment, such as jars and crates, lay in front of the crumbling houses, with the occasional remains of a skeleton strewed about here and there, and a fine layer of mist coated the ground, enshrouding their feet. The fact that a light rain still fell didn't help to improve the atmosphere of malice.

A Lamia approached from the remains of a tavern. "Ssss. Interesssting. It'sss almossst asss if you sssaught the cccity out."

Yinns glanced at the snake-woman. "We did, kupo."

Another voice, female as well, this time from the right. "Do you have business with Clan Loki?" They looked, and a Viera Red Mage sat against a pile of crates. She didn't look up at them when she spoke-- she kept her head in a tired position, eyes closed, not even attempting to stand. Her hat was pulled down so they couldn't see her eyes. Other than that she looked like any normal Viera.

Tucker answered her. "We're mainly looking for a friend. He's a Bangaa Defender."

"No," Elliot corrected. "Gladiator." Tucker looked questioningly at the Bangaa briefly, then trusted his assessment.

"Deeper into the city," the Viera told them, still not moving the slightest bit except for her lips as she spoke the words. "You mean Alastor, I'm assuming."

"Kupopo, yes! Alastor!" Molly exclaimed, relieved. "Please! Can you come with us so we can meet your clan?"

"I am not with Clan Loki. I merely live here." There were several surprised, though silent, reactions from Clan Indigo, amazed and a little horrified that someone would actually want to live in the lawless Jagds. "I cannot come with you, either. My legs and eyes have not worked for sixty-four years."

"Kupo... _Sixty-four_... H-How do you get food?" Yinns uneasily asked, flabbergasted, as were his fellow clanners.

"It is brought to me each night. Brought by the residents of Ahli. Or... I am brought to it."

"R-Residents? ...Kupo... I'm sorry, I didn't know people lived here besides rouge clans..."

"You haven't been to the Jagds before, have you?" Another voice. Nu Mou. They alertly turned to see a Beastmaster come out from behind a building, several visible scars on his face, and a left arm that looked kinda like hamburger, though at least it was still intact. He was wearing a grey pancho, pioneer hat and loose pants with a black sash as a belt, and a fiddle was strapped to his back with leather straps. Tucker shuddered... The Nu Mou didn't seem bothered at ALL by his chewed-up arm. He had seen similar abnormalities in his world, on the news and such, but never in person.

As he made his appearance, several of the other members of Clan Indigo turned to see others arrive from concealment. A human Soldier, clothed in a beat-up karate gi, bandana and an Onion Sword in a scabbard in his sash belt, appeared from the open doorway of a halfway rotted-away house, eyeing the visitors carefully. A pale, female Blue Mage, wearing a torn, revealing dress top and short, blue, just-as-torn gown came from a staircase behind the party, an Aqua Saber strapped to her side. She looked like some kind of foreign princess, besides the fact that her clothes were beaten up. A young-looking Tonberry jumped and landed from the top of the destroyed tavern the Lamia had come from, gazing curiously at these newcomers, trying to figure out who they could possibly be.

None of them had expressions of hostility in their faces. 'Weary' would've been a better word to describe them. Even so, the whole clan was a little unnerved by the sudden company. "Uh, hi, kupo," Yinns meekly greeted them with a friendly wave.

"Hey there, friends," the Soldier greeted them back in a partially gravelly tone, saluting with two fingers. Yinns felt a little better as he said the word 'friends'. "What brings you guys to the lost city?"

The crippled Viera answered for them. "They're looking for Alastor. With Clan Loki." Her voice was flat and very sad sounding whenever she spoke.

"I see." The soldier came down some stone steps and sat down on them, facing the party. "You guys from Baguba? That's the closest city from here..."

Tucker answered. "Yeah, we are. My name's Tucker, what's yours?"

"Oh, heh heh, sorry about that. Call me Sain. And that Blue Mage girl is Lelia." Lelia waved and smiled, taking a seat on a flat rock close to the party. The Tonberry paced up to Yinns and offered to shake his hand. Yinns hesitated, but did so, and as he did so he felt much better about being in the Jagds. These folks were not dangerous to them. The Blade Biter came from behind and gave April a friendly nuzzle from behind, which surprised her but she pet its head, and it sighed in satisfaction.

"You wayfarers may call me Domo," the Nu Mou told them.

"And I am Heather," said the crippled Red Mage. "The serpent girl's name is Jaelyn, and the young Tonberry is known as Cue."

Clan Indigo introduced themselves to the Jagd dwellers, one by one.

"I'm Molly," Molly said, the last one to tell them her name. She had fully gotten over her uneasiness of the Jagds around these people. "Nice to meet you, kupo. You guys seem nice."

Sain spoke. "Just as nice as any typical Ivalice citizen. I bet you assumed everyone in the Jagds was a criminal, didn'cha? Fear was written all over your faces. Glad to see you feel safer now."

"Yeah, kupo," Yinns explained, "we've never been to the Jagds before, as Domo pointed out... I only heard some pretty bad stories about them, kupo." April nodded in agreement with her leader, and Theodore was quiet as usual. "So, kupo... Are you guys the only residents of Ahli besides Clan Loki?"

"There are others," replied Heather in her usual grey tone. "Ahli is not a small city. The only thing that differs is the sense of death in the air, caused by the Miasma that turned Ahli from a metropolis to a poisonous cesspool, and finally to the skeletal remains of a city. The communities of Ahli are small and far apart. However, it is, at the least, fortunate enough for us to share the same city."

"So it _was_ the Miasma," April decided, a thoughtful expression on her face.

Domo sat on a dusty barrel. "Several of us who live here now are descendents of those who lived here while Ahli was a metropolis. It was an apocalyptic day in Ivalice history for a large population... Few survived, and several of those who did were physically and emotionally ravaged by the poisonous Miasma."

Heather gave a rusty sigh. "He is correct. ...I was a moon old."

Molly turned to her and gave a sad kupo. "So that's why your legs and eyes don't work anymore? That's... awful..."

"You are right, it is awful. But we manage." She paused, then turned her head up a little to face the group, though there was still a shadow over her eyes from her Red Mage hat. "Meeting you was a pleasure. Must you be off, or will you consider spending a night in our company?"

Tucker looked up at the sky. It was quite dark, though it had stopped raining. "I wouldn't mind spending a night here, as long as we're not in any danger... It's up to Yinns."

Yinns turned to the clan. "Vote, kupo?"

"Go for it," April decided. "We've been riding all day, and I'm tired... I could use some food, too." In reality she was very curious as to what they ate here in the Jagds.

"I suppose we can stay here for a night," Theodore agreed. He turned to Heather, whom everyone assumed by now was the leader of their little tribe. "Would you like me to start a fire?"

Sain chuckled. "Give it a shot, but you won't be able to keep it burning for long. The air is tainted."

Lelia had come down from the stone steps and approached them. She spoke in a peculiar accent that the others couldn't quite place their finger on. "You may all stay at my house, where it is warm. It will be better than staying outside. You are not used to the freezing nights of Ahli, and I can keep a fire lit with my Blue Magic."

Yinns smiled. "Thanks for your hospitality, kupo." And he meant it.

* * *

Through the curtain, a female human in a dark suit that covered almost her whole body entered the broken, empty, one-room house in the south Jagds. Two Kikuichimonji swords hung on either side of her belt.

"Hmm. Back sooner than expected, I see," a Nu Mou in a green komono said to her, sitting at a round wooden table with a large chunk missing out of it, counting a small stack of Gil by candlelight. He didn't turn his head as he spoke, though he knew it was Rose.

"Yeah, I found something our new kid may find interesting. Alastor, you awake yet?"

An armored, helmeted Bangaa, lying down on a foamy padding on the floor as a bed, raised a hand without getting up. "Yeah, all here." If not for his movement, one would think he'd have been asleep.

"You said your old clan leader was a Moogle Gadgeteer in a Judo suit, right?"

"Yep... But I'm done with him now. He crosssed the line one too many timess." Alastor sighed deeply, as if on vaccation. In his eyes he was, and it was a permenant one. This clan was just right for him; the pamphlet at that one Pub in Baguba describing Clan Loki said it was a clan for the rebellious, for those who have betrayed or hurt those they were once loyal to and wanted new fellowship. Indeed he had done just that; slain Elliot, stolen from Yinns, destroyed the house of Clan Indigo... and he had no reason to be sorry. Clan Loki would forgive him in a heartbeat. Yinns never would. He was no longer Alastor's problem, though.

"Did he have with him a Bishop, Black Mage, Time Mage, Sniper and a Thief?"

"No. He had two Black Magess and no Thief. One of them wass conssidering becoming a Time Mage though... _Wait a ssecond..._" He climbed to his feet and turned to face the Ninja lass.

"I think it's your clan. The Gadgeteer had said their clan name was Clan Indigo."

Alastor sighed again, this time out of peevishness. "Well, for one thing Rosse, they're not my clan anymore... But how did they find me here? I never told a ssoul, I sswear it! I even changed classsess for crying out loud!"

"It's not hard to track someone who just sold a caravan full of Mythril, the way rumors get around."

"Dammit!!" Alastor picked up his Ebon Blade, an extremely powerful, shimmering onyx Blade which he had bought with some of his Mythril money, as he stood up. "They're looking for me... They want revenge... Rosse, you guyss will protect me, won't you??"

"Well we're not doing _all_ the work, if that's what you mean... But if they have a bone to pick with one of our members, they're up against our whole clan as far as I care." Rose turned to the Nu Mou, who had stopped counting the Gil by now and was standing up. "Lars, where are the other clanmates? There's six in the opposing group; we'll need at least equal numbers if they're taking the fight to headquarters."

"Hmm. Roc, Jazelle and Hera are in East Residence, Elker and the monsters are on dispatch and should be coming back, and Nack is sleeping upstairs." He pulled out a purple, cross-shaped mace, a Life Crosier, from under the table and jabbed the ceiling, creating a loud thumping noise. Following was another thump of a small character falling out of bed and a series of angry kupos, as a brown-fur Moogle dressed in a dark blue-violet jester outfit trudged down the wooden, creaky stairs of the house.

"This better be good, kupo..." he said grogily.

Rose briefed him. "Alastor's clan has come for revenge. We need everyone active if they bring the fight to HQ."

"What if they don't?"

"Then we'll just leave them be, I suppose. They looked pretty well-equipped, and I don't wanna risk losing a clanner in a lawless engagement if we can avoid it, least of all Alastor."

The Bangaa's throat went dry. "Couldn't we ssneak-attack them? You _are_ a ninja..."

"There's six of them. It's not that simple. We may be able to take one or two of them out with our four, but we're outnumbered until Roc and his friends get back from the East Residence." Her expression went grave. "I... _could_ try to snipe them with Metal Veil from the shadows until they run out of Eye Drops... They don't have a White Mage with them, just a Bishop. But if they catch me either way I'm done for."

Nack drew a Tiptaptwo from a pocket inside his jester jacket. "I'm going to the East Residence to get Roc and the girls, kupo. I doubt the intruders know the fastest way, so we'll be back before they find you unless something holds me up."

"Will do," Rose confirmed in approval. "Watch yourself."

"Always do." And he vanished through the exit curtain.

* * *

"This isn't a Chocobo Egg... What is it?" April asked, holding the large, egg-shaped sphere carefully. It was a deep, ocean blue with a cyan cloud of color on one side, striped outward covering parts of the egg with lighter blue stripes. Clan Indigo, along with Lelia and Heather (who had been carried inside) sat around a blue fire inside Lelia's destroyed remains of a home, holding their blue, spherical meals in front of them...

"It's a Lamia's Egg," Lelia told them. "Jae lays them for us so we can live. Each of us live off only one a day, but you may have more if you desperately need them."

April stared at the egg, a little stunned. "Goodness, I've never had a Lamia Egg before... Nice that you get an infinite supply of these, though."

"Yes... The Miasma running through Jae's veins allows her to lay many eggs a day, and they are all very healthy."

Yinns stammered at that revealing news... "What the... Are you saying these Lamia Eggs have Miasma in them?"

"Yes. _Purified_ Miasma."

Awed silence.

"Try it and see," Lelia said with a warm smile. "Jae absorbs all the evil energy of the Miasma because she is a Lamia, leaving only the sweetness behind."

"Umm... How do you... eat it?" April wondered.

Lelia showed them, by slicing a slit in the egg with one fluid motion of her wrist. Her fingernails were apparently like knives, and the sound made by the sliced egg startled everyone. She then lifted the egg to her lips and carefully drank the sweet, blue, watery substance inside from the slit.

April made a face... "Um... And you're sure this is safe to eat? Drink? Whatever?"

Lelia just smiled. But it was an inviting smile, not mischevous or sinister. So April trusted her, slit her egg with her own long fingernails, and drank.

"How is it?" Tucker asked.

April gulped more of the Lamia Egg nectar down, and finally lowered the egg, smiling happily... "It's... lovely... Try it, guys! It's very sweet and filling."

Each of the clanners and Lelia had a Lamia Egg that they ate/drank in a similar fashion. Once half of the blue syrup was gone, it was simply a matter of cutting the entire shell open and removing the super thick, blue yolk, which could be eaten like a fruit and had a much stronger taste. The remains could be drank like soup, using the eggshell as a bowl.

Heather couldn't hold her egg to consume hers; her arms worked, but they were frail, and she'd most likely drop the egg on the hard floor. So Lelia held it for her, and she drank when Lelia lifted it to her lips for her. Many Clan Indigo members felt bad for Heather... but at the same time, they felt a powerful respect for the Ahli Tribe... Someone like Heather could really weigh them down, but everyone here looked out for each-other so passionately. "It's wonderful, as always, Lelia," Heather told her in her usual sad, grey tone. "Thank you."

The Lamia Eggs brought so much comfort to the Ahli Tribe... It must have more meaning to them then they thought, Yinns and a few others decided.

Tucker spoke next. "Wow," he said between swallows, "you guys eat one of these every day? You're lucky. We don't get these from where I come from."

Lelia frowned sadly. "You wouldn't say that if you lived in Ahli all your life. It has little to offer."

"Oh..." Tucker was afraid he might've hit a nerve. "Couldn't you and the others just go somewhere else? To Baguba, for example?"

"We tried once..." Lelia sat down in front of the blue flame and sighed. "Remember, Tucker, those here are the descendents of the victims of Ahli's Fall. The poison from the Miasma was passed to us from our parents..." She hesitated.

"Hey... I'm sorry," Tucker apologized. "I didn't know it was a sensitive subject."

"You deserve to know," she continued. "Anyway, Miasma runs through our blood, a part of us... Thus, if we leave behind the tainted air in this city for long, we die. It is the only air we can breathe." She took a deep swallow of the azure substance before breathing and continuing. "We are poisoned, Tucker... No different from the zombies and vampires of Ivalice, except that unlike them we can die. ...Not all of us here are like that... Domo and some of the East Residents have come here of their own will to live among us, having been either married to one of us or of their preferred lifestyle. But it is a struggle to get by each day."

"Why didn't the Miasma kill you?" Theodore asked, intrigued, as he took another sip of his Egg.

"I would say probably because we only inherited some of the _attributes_ of the Miasma. The full effects are fatal. ...That was the fate of my parents and grandparents, victims of Ahli's Fall. They died over 10 long years of horrible pain and suffering."

"Man... that's harsh," said Tucker, feeling uncomfortable with himself. These people's entire world was this ruined metropolis, and happiness was a distant memory for them. Furthermore there wasn't a lot he could do to help them. He felt inferior. "Say, uh... Is there anything we can do to help you guys? Anything at all? ...I don't know how much help we can be, but I feel awful for you guys."

Yinns raised an eyebrow at Tucker's comment, not terribly hoping to get any more involved with the Jagd lands than he had to.

"There's not much you can do," Lelia told him. There was a pause. "However, just your presence is uplifting to me and the Jagd residents. Any contact with the outside world is a blessing, and you are all, of course, welcome here no matter what. It is a dangerous place, shrouded by an air of death, but you are welcome nonetheless."

Yinns spoke next. "So, what's the dangerous part of the city anyway, kupo? So far all we've encountered is you and the other Residents, and you guys seem friendly enough, kupo." He drank more of the Egg's precious juices, and wiped his mouth.

"Jagd Ahli has more to it than meets the eye," Lelia explained, her voice quieting down. "You and me are right now in the North Residence. You have met all of us. Go south, and you will meet the South Residence and some of the others. The path there is home to horrible creatures, such as the Masterberry, Vampire, Zombie and Ahriman. Rarely do we Jagd residents travel to our neighbors without Domo the Beastmaster to protect us from them with his music. No Judge will protect you in battle, so if they beat you, you die."

Yinns didn't say a word. This sounded tough even for him. Tucker was almost scared stiff... Even normal Tonberries in other Final Fantasy games he had played were advanced opponents, with their slow approach ending in what he called the _doink of doom_; one knife stab sent you to hell. As for Vampires, he didn't have to be a gamer to know how horribly dangerous those guys were, judging from the stories he had heard and read while he was younger...

Lelia continued. "The South Residence community is larger than those you've met among us, by a few members, but they are our friends and are sure to treat you with the same love we have showed you, if you get that far. Stray off the main road, though, and even more danger awaits. The southwest corner of Ahli is the territory of Lodion the Dark Duke, and his small clan of followers. They attack anyone who approaches their turf."

Molly and Tucker were the only ones who hadn't heard of the infamous Dark Duke Lodion before. A time ago, every Kingmoon, a clan would go hunting for the wanted Illusionist, either coming back empty-handed or never coming back at all. In time, people learned he was not worth the effort, and the legendary Dark Duke stuck around to rule over one corner of Jagd Ahli. Yinns wouldn't be stupid enough to make the mistake of stirring up that beehive.

"To the east lies the East Residence, which are almost identical to us; they have a Beastmaster like us, so we occasionally visit each-other bearing gifts. They will not give you grief. The northwest and southeast corners of Ahli are home to Clan Shadow and Clan Loki respectively, but it is rare I get a chance to meet them. They are violent, though honorable, living and dying by the code of war and engagement. Neither clan has ever attacked any Jagd residents, but they have freely attacked and killed plenty of outsiders who have a fight to pick with them, nor are they afraid to die themselves."

Yinns's blood ran cold. Was this Alastor? He didn't want to believe Alastor would kill him if he had the chance... Worse, he was probably under a bad influence from the members of Clan Loki... Yinns saw his chances of reasoning with his former clanmate slimming before they even met face-to-face. Definitely not a positive sign.

Molly, too, was concerned, and very worried about the fate of Alastor. She didn't want him to wind up dead from all of this, but things were looking bleak... Too many people had died recently, or had otherwise been removed from her life, such as Clivia... Elliot was with them now, but after they got Alastor back, or failed, he would be gone, and this was Alastor's fault... All she wanted anymore, she decided, was to hear from him he was sorry. Any clue at all that let her know Alastor had not become the kind of person she thought he was now.

She looked over at Elliot, the only member of the clan who was not eating. He had a faraway expression on his face, as if he were contemplating serious philosophical questions. He had been like this ever since they started the trip, and had been very quiet on top of that...

Without speaking a word, Molly got up and left the room, going into the small back room to finish her meal alone.

"Oh..." said a concerned Lelia, "...Did I upset her?"

"I don't think it's you," Tucker told her. "I could try to talk to her, I suppose..."

Yinns. "Maybe it's better if we just let her be, kupo. She'll come out when she's feeling better."

Lelia closed her eyes and sighed. "Ahli can be very emotionally scarring for someone who has not been to such a place. ...I'm deeply sorry."

They soon finished their exotic eggs, and Lelia pulled out some padded foam mats from under some crates to use as beds. She offered them some blankets as well, but the clan had brought plenty of their own. Yinns offered one to Lelia. "You can use this, kupo. Those don't look very warm."

Lelia was a little stunned. "Oh, wow... Thank you, Yinns... If you're sure it's alright..."

"Of course it is," he confirmed. "We have a spare, and you look like you need it, kupo." Lelia smiled gratefully, lying down and pulling the blanket around her. The blanket was soft and thick, drawing the bearer into a world of warmth and security...

"It's been a long time since I've been this cozy," she quietly said, moved by the kindness of these clanners. Yinns didn't fully hear her... He was lying in his own bed (if you could even call it a bed), falling asleep pretty fast... He didn't know why he felt so tired...

Molly had still not come out of the back room. Tucker decided he needed to intervene, got up and headed back there. He lightly knocked on the wooden slab that served as a door.

"Molly, you alright?"

All he got in response was a soft kupo. So he opened the door slowly to check on her. There Molly was, lying on the wooden ground on her side, in a room only twice as big as a portable bathroom from Tucker's world. She wasn't passed out or anything... she looked asleep.

Tucker sat down next to the furry body of the Moogle lass. "You okay, Molly?"

No response at first, but the Moogle eventually gave another soft kupo and replied "...Yeah..."

Tucker laid a hand on her head, gently stroking the fur on her head. "You had us worried, Molly... You wanna talk about it?"

"...Oh..." she started to say, "Yeah, it's just... ...this place was a little upsetting... ...kupo..." She sounded very tired. To Tucker's surprise, he was starting to feel the same way, as if he were moving through chest-deep molasses.

"I know how it is," Tucker offered. "Don't worry about Alastor. We'll get him back."

Molly then wearily moved her hands up to Tucker's shoulders, and pulled herself up, without opening her eyes. Tucker wondered what she was doing, but the weight of the Moogle pushed him to the ground, laying down face-up. Molly fell asleep on top of Tucker, her arms wrapped around him. He couldn't get up. He didn't have the energy.

So Tucker gave up and fell asleep, with one hand rested on Molly.

The others, feeling just as unnaturally tired as Tucker, all fell asleep very fast. The only one who didn't sleep was Elliot. As he had not eaten an egg, he was not subject to its hypnotic potency. The Bangaa stood up, using his Snake Staff as support.

"Ssorry, Yinnsss and Tucker... Thiss iss my battle," he whispered.


	30. Alastor's Battle

Chapter 29 - _Alastor's Battle_

Alastor woke up again after hearing the faintest creaking noise. It was the second time that night.

"What'ss wrong with you, Alassstor," he asked himself, plopping his head down on the hard wood floor and staring at the ceiling. His mind raced furiously at everything that had happened in his life recently... Turning against Yinns and kidnapping Elliot was where he had intended to stop. But something had snapped in his head... He felt it, unsure what it was. He had gone mad, killing Elliot and burning the treehouse down with his sword. Since then he was filled with a bitter hatred for Yinns, stemming from nowhere... He had changed classes to Gladiator just to spite Yinns, as his ex-leader had persuaded him to become a Defender in the first place, many moons ago...

His rampage ended with him joining a Jagd clan, something he had secretly wanted to do for a long time. But his reasons for joining now were different than when he was young. While young, all he wanted was dangerous adventure. Now he felt like a criminal, like it was his only way out of the life he had created for himself. It wasn't a trapping feeling though, he thought... But, was this really what he wanted?

He heard the creak again. Something was on the roof.

"It'ss Yinnsss..." he feared. No, it couldn't be. His imagination was going out of control. _He needed to stop this_. Picking up his Ebon Blade, Alastor walked up the stairs of the hollowed-out house to the room above. There was a window open. He proceeded out of it, hugging the edge of the house to find a place to climb to the roof. He found some cracks in the wall and grabbed those, making it to the top and finally collapsing.

"Guess I made too much noise," Rose's voice said from the far edge of the roof. "Did I wake you?"

"Rosse... What are you doing up?" Alastor asked, a little surprised. Rose the Ninja was sitting on the edge of the house, staring up at the full moon over the scenery of the broken dystopia of Ahli. It was a beautiful, chilling sight.

"Can't say," she responded after a lengthy silence. "I'm a child of the night, I guess. You?"

"I couldn't ssleep either. I'm not ussed to the Jagdss." He sat next to Rose and stared out over the scene. The tranquility of the Jagd city, this scar of apocalypse from ages past, chilled him, and would be etched into his memory forever. "It'ss a beautiful view up here, issn't it?"

Rose closed her eyes. "Yes. ...It's a symphony of chilling memories."

Alastor looked over at her. She still had her gaze transfixed on the moonlit ruins of Ahli. Her eyes glistened, full of vibrant memories of a sad past... He became curious about her.

"Hey Rosse, how did you end up here with Clan Loki?"

She breathed heavily. "There's not much to the story... I just never really got along with others. The way I approached people put them off while I was young, and I loved to wander the streets of Cyril alone at night for no other reason than to be close to the moon... Grew up, moved away, found this place, and started a clan here for others like me." She paused. "Alastor, why did you join this clan?"

He thought a moment. "Well... I guesss I'm an outcasst mysself... Never wass a team player... And I've done ssome bad thingss in the passt... Yinnss would never forgive me for them."

Neither side spoke for a while, then Rose once again broke the silence. "So you would never consider going back with them?"

"Never." His answer was definite and cold. They both looked outward to the ruinscape again, saying nothing. A breeze blew, and Alastor suddenly realized he wasn't wearing his armor; just a tattered, cloth shirt and loose pants. He was very cold.

Rose looked over at him, and cupped her palms together, concentrating. The breeze turned warmer due to her summoned ninjutsu, slowing down a bit and bathing the Bangaa in it comfortable hold.

"Thankss," the Bangaa told her, grateful.

"Alastor, we want you to know we love you," Rose responded. "You are always welcome in this clan. This is your home."

He didn't respond at first, though he was moved. "It... It feelss good to hear that..." Yinns had never said that about Alastor before. He no longer felt out of place in the Jagds. An outcast he was, and here he had true family and fellowship.

Bangaas didn't often cry, but he felt himself beginning to.

Rose put a hand on his shoulder. "We're here for you, Alastor. We always will be." This wasn't romance, Rose knew... She just felt for him, glad she could offer a home and family to someone with no place in society, much like herself. The two stayed side-by-side for almost an hour, not talking at all, just gazing across the moonlit ruins of Ahli, finding solace, symbolism in a ravaged world. It was their world.

Finally, Alastor got to his feet. "I have thingss to do," was all he said. He carefully made his way to the ground below, and Rose had no doubt in her mind what those things were.

* * *

Armed, armored, and equipped with a satchel over his shoulder, Alastor walked across the fog-layered ground, warily keeping an eye on his surroundings. He was headed to the North Residence, thinking of Yinns the whole way. Maybe Yinns wouldn't forgive him, but at least _he_ could forgive Yinns, and he wanted him to know.

At that moment, liquid shadows began to swirl together from out of nowhere in front of Alastor. The Bangaa stepped back, watching one of the dreaded night creatures of all, a Vampire, materialize in front of him. He drew his Ebon Blade, but realized right then it would have no effect on the Vampire if he used it normally, being Dark-element. He would have to use Fire Sword, the only Gladiator attack he knew.

The Vampire lunged at him. "Fire Ssword!" he called, swinging the blade in an arc above him as it caught fire. The pyrotic slash lit the creature aflame, but it didn't do much damage and it quickly recovered, thrusting its claw forward and sending a wave of Miasma into the Bangaa. Alastor recoiled, feeling his blood burn... He was badly poisoned... He fell to a kneel position, the toxins making short work of his remaining energy...

"Holy!" a voice called from behind. Without warning the air around the Vampire lit up with white-hot flame, frying it from the inside-out. The figure the voice belonged to swung a Snake Staff at the crippled undead, finishing it off and causing it to melt back into the shadows to recover.

A Bishop, clad in red and gold robes, stood in front of Alastor, who felt the effects of the Miasma subside when the Vampire retreated. That face looked only too familiar, and Alastor stared up in disbelief.

"Elliot...? B-But, I killed you..."

No response.

"And you ssaved my life? ...Why?"

"Becausse you are a brother. Not jusst to me, but to the clan." Elliot's voice was filled with sadness. It deeply upset Alastor.

"I... I didn't mean to kill you... I mean..." He stopped, knowing that a lie would be useless in the presence of an Arch Bishop, one selected by the Dragon Totema himself to do his will. Elliot could easily detect his lies.

"Why did you kill me, brother?"

"No! Leave me alone!" He backed up, breathing harder. Elliot made no move to follow him. "You sshouldn't have... Thiss issn't... Argh, get out of here!" He took off running, running back to the base of Clan Loki, in fear and horror.

Elliot's words haunted him. _Why did you kill me, brother?_

Why had he? He had no answer for that question. He had gone mad. And this was the final straw.

He kept running, tormented by life.

* * *

Yinns walked up behind Tucker, who was awake before anyone else had woken up, late the next morning. The Lamia Egg had caused them all to sleep for a much longer time than usual.

"Tucker?" he asked. No response. Yinns stood next to the human boy and looked up at him. Tucker was staring at the Jagds ahead of him, as if concentrating.

Finally Tucker answered. "Today's the day."

"Yeah, kupo..."

Silence from both of them, as Yinns expected Tucker to say something else. He didn't.

"Tucker, let's go wake the others up, kupo."

Tucker sighed and followed him back to Lelia's house. Everyone was slowly waking up.

April crawled to her feet. "I feel weeeeeeird... I wonder if it was that egg last night?"

"I feel it too," Tucker admitted. "Dunno how to describe it... It's this inner level of peace I never knew I had. Almost religious."

"Yeah," Yinns agreed. "Hey Lelia, you didn't tell us the egg would have side effects, kupo."

"Sorry," Lelia apologized. "I often forget that we Jagd residents have adapted to the spiritually altering effects of Jae's eggs."

Everyone's eyes widened, and Yinns was borderline hysterical. "W-What!? Spiritually altering!?"

"Do not be alarmed," Lelia assured him. "No effect of the egg is permenant unless you've had it every day for a long time, as I have. While you may feel strange for a while, you will have more energy in the long run, even in this tainted air you are not used to. ...I believe you are also resistant to some forms of attack, but I'm unsure..."

Yinns still wasn't too happy about the spiritually altering bit. It freaked him out. But he had to be polite. "Alright, kupo, if you say so..."

The door swung open, and Domo the Beastmaster hurriedly entered the house. Right away, Lelia and the clanners could tell something was wrong.

"Lelia..." he gasped, out of breath, "A Bangaa from Clan Loki has come to attack us... gasp, pant He's wounded Jae and Sain, and he has an extremely powerful weapon..."

Molly entered the main room from the back. "What!? Kupo! It's Alastor! Does he know you're friendly??" She got her stuff in a hurry. "C'mon guys! ...Elliot? Where's Elliot? We need him to heal the wounded residents, kupo!"

They looked around. It was the first time that morning they realized Elliot had gone missing.

"No time," Yinns said as he got his own stuff. "We may be able to reason with him, kupo. Let's go everybody. Domo, lead us to him."

He led the way, through a short series of turning roads through ruined buildings and stone architecture. In the square that the clan had met the residents was Alastor, in full Gladiator gear, wildly swinging at a wounded Soldier with nothing but an Onion Sword. He was gaining ground, advancing on Sain, who didn't have a chance against the mighty Bangaa.

"Die, I ssaid! You all musst die!!" Alastor cried, his body red. He had entered an extreme Beserk state and was immune to reason. He swung again, cutting right through the body of the hapless Soldier, who crumpled to the ground without uttering a sound.

"SAIN!!" Lelia cried, catching Alastor's attention. He rushed up the stone steps to engage her. Yinns had seen enough.

"Alastor!" he called at his enraged ex-clanner, who's attention shifted to the veteran Gadgeteer. He stopped briefly, recognizing him.

Yinns kept talking. "Kupo! It's me, Yinns! Let's sit down and talk, alrighty? We're not mad, kupo."

Tucker had his Weapon Breaker in a trembling hand, just in case. "Careful," he warned.

Finally, Alastor bellowed in rage and charged his old clan leader. "Yinnss!! I'll KILL YOU!!" He was upon him in seconds and let him have it with a wide, diagonal crecent slash with enough power from the dark blade to cleave him right in half. An energy barrier came up in front of Yinns, deflecting the attack at the cost of ALL of Yinns's "MP", thanks to the training he had taken in his Judo Uniform moons ago. But he wouldn't get another save like that for a while.

Yinns leapt off the stone elevation they were on to the ground below, and the rest of Clan Indigo scattered, except Tucker. Alastor turned in pursuit of the lucky Gadgeteer, but Tucker let him have it on the arm with a slice of the Sword Breaker. Alastor was instantly upon him, swinging wildly but expertly with the sole intent of bringing him down.

"Tucker, nooo!!" Molly saw her friend in danger and ran up the stone steps to try and stop Alastor.

But something had awoken in Tucker. He was able to sense the essence of the blade, determining where it would be at any given moment and dodging accordingly. He felt enlightened, as if the strange feeling the egg had given him from last night had doubled in intensity, controlling his body to dodge every attack and counterattack. Alastor started taking too many hits, and backed up, Tucker on the full offensive. Now it was Alastor who had to defend, blocking the knife slashes and thrusts with his huge sword, but with limited success. Alastor saw an opening, and cleaved at Tucker, who evaded by changing his weight distributation at the last second. Off balance, he fell to the ground backwards. Alastor leapt up and came down on him with the full force of the Ebon Blade.

Tucker rolled forward and to the right, slicing the jagged blade into Alastor's fist. He dropped the blade as his hand was cut, and Tucker swooped it up and tossing it aside, having successfully stolen Alastor's weapon with his own weapon's special potential. Alastor was defenseless now.

Molly reached Tucker at last, and to Tucker's shock she stood in front of Alastor. "Don't hurt him!" she cried. "You said yourself! We'd get him back in the clan without killing him, kupo!!"

Tucker kept his weapon in his hand. "I never said I was gonna kill him... He's defenseless now. Let's talk to him."

They both saw Alastor's face waver. "I..." he started to say, "...k-k-kill... KILL!!"

"It's alright, man," Tucker tried to reason with him. "We're your friends, dude. Nobody's gonna kill you..." He clasped the Bangaa's shoulders and stared directly into his eyes. He almost sensed an emotional weakening...

Without warning, Alastor grabbed Tucker by the waist with both hands and hoisted him up, throwing him backwards. He crashed into the ground hard. "HURK..." he coughed as he rolled to a stop against a building. He kicked Molly aside and ran to grab his weapon again, turning around and charging at Tucker. Molly was relatively unhurt, but scared for Tucker's life as well as Alastor's.

Tucker scrambled to his feet, but his back was injured and wasn't nearly as agile as a moment ago. If Alastor reached him now, he wouldn't have a chance. He couldn't run far either before he was caught up to, either, as there was a sharp pain in his legs from the crash.

A foreign emotion at that point overtook Tucker... The realization that he was about to die.

Suddenly there was a black discharge of vapor around Alastor's head, as one of April's Blackout Arrows hit the mark perfectly. Alastor slowed his charge and started swinging wildly in random directions. He couldn't see a thing! April waved to Tucker, signaling her assistance. Theodore made his way up to the elevated area next, and thrust a palm forward. "Fira!"

A column of fire gathered around Alastor, burning him for several seconds, but he hardly felt the pain. He turned in the direction of the magic caster and staggered up, trying to hit Theodore but failing. Tucker took the opportunity to slip in next to him, slash the sword out of his hands again and throw it off the elevation, to the bottom of the stairs below. He then slashed through Alastor's armor in the chest, knocking the Bangaa to the ground, dazed, damaged and still blind.

Alastor coughed, trying to regain his senses. "What are... Who iss... Urrrrrrgh..."

Molly and Tucker helped move Alastor to a sitting-up position against a building. He only struggled a little bit, his energy mostly expired.

"Ssh, it's gonna be fine, Alastor," Tucker comforted him. The Bangaa still couldn't see.

"Who are you..."

Molly spoke. "Alastor, kupo... It's me, Molly... Don't you remember me?" she asked desperately, her eyes beginning to water up. It had been ages since she'd seen Alastor, and to see him like this was so painful...

"Y... Yess... Molly..." She reached her hand down and squeezed his, and he squeezed back. "Molly, I've... misssed... you..."

"Please... don't die, kupo..." she choked, afraid he might be dying from expending too much energy in the fight. Suddenly she wrapped her arms tightly around Alastor's cut body, squeezing as hard as she could. "Don't... die..."

Yinns approached at last, as did Theodore and April. Elliot was still nowhere to be found. "Kupo, it's me," Yinns cautiously told his wounded friend. "It's me, Yinns. I'm here for you, kupo..." He spoke softly, more than a little worried, as was everyone in the clan.

"Yinnss... I..." he started to say.

Yinns listened intently. "It's alright, kupo... What's wrong?"

"Elliot iss..." He choked again.

"We heard about Elliot," April told him. "We forgive you... but... why did you do it?" The whole clan was crowded around the blind, slashed Bangaa, doing their best to comfort him. What April had said was true; they forgave Alastor for slaying Elliot, mainly because Elliot had first while he was an Arch Bishop. But they wanted to hear his story.

"It wass..." He coughed again, then straightened his battered body as best he could. "I wass mad at Yinnss... The trip wass too much, and... I went... inssane..."

Yinns squeezed Alastor's left hand. "I'm sorry, Alastor... I really had no idea, kupo..." He stood up, turning to the clan. "We need to find Elliot, kupo. He can heal him."

"Elliot's gone," said a female voice from behind the clan. They turned around to see Rose the Ninja. Only Alastor knew her name, but he was the only one who couldn't see her holding Elliot's Snake Staff.

Yinns stepped forward cautiously. "Kupo... Did you kill him?" he asked.

"Well... I hope not..." Her face furrowed, as she tried to recall something. "I just finished talking to him, for the very last time... in his words..."

The clan wasn't getting it.

"Look, just moments ago he disintegrated. There's not a trace of him left. Except for the Snake Staff, that is. He said he wanted Clan Indigo to have it..."

"Disintegrated, kupo?" Yinns slowly wondered. Then it dawned on him. "Right. When Alastor's soul was saved from its anger, kupo. We did his job for him." He walked up and received the Staff. "The Totema bless you, Elliot..."

"But now we need a healer," Theodore pointed out. "None of us know White Magic, and I'm rather certain one couldn't receive a Job Change in the Jagds so easily for me to switch..."

Molly looked up at the Ninja, who was looking curiously down at her. "Thanks for telling us, kupo," she said to Rose. "What's your name?"

"I'm Rose, of Clan Loki." There was something about Molly that looked unnaturally familiar... "Are you... Are you Molly?" she asked, almost nervously.

"Why, yes I am," Molly answered, a little surprised. "Did Alastor tell you?"

Rose didn't answer. She was in a deep state of panic. _'Oh God. No. Not this,'_ she thought.

"...What's wrong, Rose? You look like you've seen a ghost, kupo," Molly said to her.

Rose sighed nervously. "I can't... I can't tell you... Molly, I am so sorry. Oh my God. I am SO sorry." She started to back up.

Molly followed her, taking a hold of Rose's hands. "Please. Tell me what's wrong, if it concerns me." She was shorter than the Ninja, and had to look up to see her. Rose saw the intense look of pleading and worry in the Moogle's eyes, and almost broke down.

"Molly... I met... I met your dad."

"What!?" She squeezed Rose's hands tighter. "What happened? Is he alive?? The telegram said he was dead, kupo!"

The Ninja painfully closed her eyes, recalling the memory. "He is. ...He and I battled here, one on one."

Molly's eyes widened. She stared inhumanly at Rose, realizing.

"You killed him..."


	31. Molly Grows Up

Chapter 30 - _Molly Grows Up_

Immediately Tucker pushed Yinns out of the way and rushed up to Molly and Rose. "You killed her dad!?"

"I had to!!" Rose yelled, fighting her emotions. "He would've slain me! He had already slain one of my clanmates! I was next!"

"WHAT!?" Molly screamed, not believing it for her life. "My dad would never--!!"

"Look Molly, the clanmate broke a deal with him and attacked him for no reason, okay? Your dad killed him in self defense... Your dad was never the bad guy, Molly."

She stopped short, her breathing heavy. "Go on..."

"I fought him only to honor my clanner's death, and we both agreed it was a fight to the death, with no healing, forfeiting or outside help... So there were rules. ...And I even offered to take the fight to Koringwood where there was a Judge, but he said he would rather fight me on my home turf, since it was _my_ clanner he slew..." She wiped her eyes. "Molly, I hate killing people in battle... But I do it. It's part of the code of Jagd warfare... It was an honorable battle, I didn't cheat, neither did he..."

Molly said nothing, her expression asking Rose to keep going.

"We were both down to our last amount of life force, both on the verge of death... He came at me with a Mog Attack-Lance combo, and it would have killed me, but I leapt back and trapped him with Wood Veil, dodged the Lance, darted behind him with the speed boost I got from critical health and delivered the final blow... with this sword." She drew one of her Kikuichimonji katanas and laid it in front of Molly, who stared at it in shock.

"Before he died, he spoke to me, Molly... He said... 'Tell my daughter I love her, and am sorry.' ...I told him I would honor that last wish, and now..."

Molly was in tears, completely defeated. "My... dad is..."

Rose knelt down and took Molly's hand, looking into her eyes. "Molly... Your dad was the most honorable Moogle I've ever met. He loved you so much... I can't possibly ask you to forgive me for what I've done, but try not to hold his stubbornness against him... We had a good fight, and he's up in the Great Moogle Kingdom now, watching over you..."

Molly slapped Rose's hand away with amazing force. Rose winced in pain, withdrawing her hand and stepping back. Molly had stopped crying, and was staring up at Rose with the most intense look of vengefulness she or even Tucker had ever seen, even in the video games Tucker had played.

It unnerved Tucker. "Molly, it's not worth it..."

Molly drew her Chill Rod from her belt, speaking without a single kupo. "Yes. He was an honorable fighter, and a wonderful dad. And he's gone now... Gone just like Clivia, just like Elliot, and just like how Tucker will be when we get back." Tucker felt anger radiating from the little Moogle girl. He wasn't sure if he liked what was about to happen.

She continued. "...And each time I've just sat back and taken it. What can I do? Ivalice is a dangerous place, and you can never count on things to stay happy and nice. What do I do? ...Do I just sit back and take this? Dad's dead. What do I do?"

Rose pleaded with the Moogle. "Molly, it's not your fault..."

"That's the point, Rose. None of this adventure was ever my fault. I've just been the victim of every tragedy." She paused, lowering her Rod. "Dad had a code to live by, I remember... One part of it was really important to him. Every time he had come home from a trip, he'd say it to me. He'd say, 'There's no such thing as fate, Molly. We make our own destinies. You'll make yours someday.' ...I loved my dad..." She started to laugh. Everyone around her was confused and a little scared of her.

She continued. "I've been a victim of fate long enough. If I don't do this, I will continue to be the victim of fate. This is the only chance I'll ever get to make my destiny right." She gripped her Chill Rod, holding it up. "Rose, I have for you one final honor to carry out in my dad's name. Either kill me... or be killed _by_ me."

Tucker shook with stress. "Molly... Don't..."

Molly didn't answer Tucker. She stared at Rose, her eyes sincere and experienced beyond her years. She had finally learned her true potential, her place in the Clan Wars and in her clan. She was grown up now.

Molly stepped forward and kicked the Kikuichimonji on the ground towards Rose for her to pick up. Rose did so, drawing her other sword, her anxiety fading. "A battle to the death, Molly? ...This is... what you want?"

Molly didn't move, but her eyes spoke to the Ninja. This is what she wanted. Tucker stepped back, afraid but not knowing what else to do. This was a battle between Molly and Rose, and it was the turning point in Molly's destiny as a clanner.

"You're sure, right? ...Once we start there's no turning back..."

Again, Molly didn't move. Her eyes gleamed with the will to fight.

The Ninja readied her two swords, holding them with the skill of a veteran ninja warrior. "Alright. I understand. Good luck to you, Molly. ...Fight well."

Molly nodded. "Likewise," she replied.

And then it began.


	32. Honor and Redemption

Chapter 31 - _Honor and Redemption_

Molly immediately thrust the Chill Rod towards Rose, crying the name of her attack. "Stop!!" Rings of grey light sprung from the ground around the ninja as the air changed... Rose was too quick, and darted out of the ring cage moments before space-time solidified there, dashing towards Molly like an osprey diving at a pond. She was upon her in seconds, swinging both swords in opposite directions at the same time in front of her. Molly leapt backwards, her body phasing through the ether to gain distance-- such a trick was reserved for much more experienced Time Mages, but Molly's recent epiphany had awoken something within her.

She viewed the battlefield, her opponent... She saw everything in colors and forms she had never seen them in before. She heard a voice, not in her head, but in her heart... _"I love you, Molly. I will always be with you. Fight this battle in my name, and forge your own destiny at long last..."_

The image of her father shimmered within Molly's enlightened mind, as she felt immense power and courage envelop every fiber of her soft, furry body. She would win this battle, win her warm destiny back from the cold grasp of fate, with her father's spirit empowering her.

Now at a distance, Rose held two fingers to her forehead, summoning her jutsu. A burst of golden, sparkling metal dust exploded inches from Molly's face, scoring a light hit in her eyes. She fell back, unable to see. Rose made that move by dashing again for the double-cut, and she was helpless. Sensing her rapid approach, she phased backwards again, landing on uneven ground and throwing off her balance. On the ground again, she quickly felt her belt for the sack of Curealls and fished one out, breaking it open above her face as Rose came in for another dash-slice. It worked just in time, and Molly, once again able to see, defied gravity with her time magic and floated, sommersaulting once and turning, over Rose's head. She thrust her hand out. "Fire!" she called, careful to conserve her magic as Theodore had once taught her.

The fireballs flew from her hand like tiny comets, exploding on impact with the Ninja and burning her dark outfit in numerous places on the front. She cast another jutsu, and vines burst from the ground right as Molly landed, ensnaring her feet in a tight lock. Rose dashed again; it seemed to be her favorite attack, and Molly couldn't afford to fight her at close range.

Panicking, Molly put her Chill Rod in her belt and took out her other Rod, tipped with a brown, stone-like spiked ball. She thought she'd need this, and thrust it forward, spinning it in a circular motion. "Slow!"

The air thickened around Rose, and before she could react, the Ninja was caught in a temporal leak, literally existing at less than half speed. Molly quickly cast Fire again at the vines around her legs, burning them away while taking only slight damage. Even at half speed, though, Rose was decently fast, and by now had reached her with another double-swing. Molly easily evaded this time by ducking behind her. "Blizzaga!"

Deadly, frozen energy brewed up around the slowed Ninja, forming a mountain of mist before a glacier erupted from the ground with enough power to send a tank flying. It started to clear soon, and as Molly searched for signs of Rose, a jolt of pain zapped through her from her right shoulder as she was pushed forward by a flying object. She looked, and a Ninja Knife lay embedded in her shoulder, as Rose blinked into existance twenty feet in front of the Moogle. Molly yanked it out, feeling intense pain but only for a moment as the adrenaline kicked back in. She was, however, more than a bit shocked as to how fast Rose had recovered from Slow.

"You're good," she said to Rose, doing the honorable thing. But she meant it.

"And Molly, you're _amazing,_" Rose replied, meaning it as well. They resumed the fight, Rose starting with her dash, but this time leaping sideways, freezing in midair then shooting at Molly like a comet, swords poised above her. She swung right before reaching Molly for maximum damage. Molly forgot to phase as she dodged this time, taking a medium slice in her right side and crying out in pain.

This time she could even feel Dad cry out for his daughter. _"Be careful, Molly! Pain is an illusion, but death is real!"_

Immediately after landing, Rose was in the air again, doing a vertical U-turn for a double-cleaving X-strike from above and upside-down. "Haste!" Molly cried, fighting the pain and continuing the battle by forming a ball of space-time in her hands which burst, engulfing her. Instantly she was seeing the world as if traveling through space at light-speed, rays of nonexistant light speeding past her. No mortal was meant for this level of speed; even so it was a normal, though exhilirating, practice in Ivalice.

With her now overdrive level of existance, Molly leapt into the air at Rose, her Rod held out at an angle and spinning like a propellor. They collided, stopping each-other's flights and beginning to fall, but before Molly could fall far she delivered a 10-hit Rod combo to Rose's head with the spinning attack, while at the same time letting her guard down and taking the vertical slice along her left arm. They both landed, wounded and dangerously in melee range of each-other. Rose instantly swung twice.

Way too slow for Molly. The speed was beginning to stress her out; she needed to call off the spell, but she needed a safe way to do it. She phase-dashed a short distance behind Rose, swapped Rods again, and counterattacked. "Stop!" she called, summoning a space-time cage of grey light around Rose born from distorted magic. This time, as she was sped up, so was the spell, and Rose was locked in a still pose as time froze around her, allowing Molly to safely call off the Haste spell.

Instead of settling for just that, she cast 3 more, one after the other. "Fire! Thunder! Thundara!!"

A wave of fireballs flew from Molly's palm into the frozen Ninja, not even making her flinch. This was immediately followed by a bolt of lightning, striking Rose and coarsing through her. Then the grand finale, two high-powered bolts of lightning, cried down from the heavens and sent thousands of volts through the time-locked Ninja. Right then the Stop spell broke, and Rose felt the full impact all three spells in the same nanosecond as time caught up with her, throwing her backwards at 180 MPH. She crashed straight through two full buildings and stopped when she hit the third, slumping to the ground.

Molly was beyond feeling sorry for those she hurt. She was grown up now, living by the code of war as Rose had, fighting to the death in her father's honor. She approached Rose to finish her off, starting to notice the immense pain she had received from the three attacks on her earlier. She didn't know how much more damage she could afford.

Unbelievably, Rose stood up as Molly approached, fingering a Ninja Knife. Molly started to cast a spell, when Rose took an unusual stance and vanished. A split second later, the knife stuck into Molly's back as Rose blinked in again, 30 feet behind Molly, herself now on overdrive speed. Last Haste had kicked in.

In agony, Molly reached behind her to pull out the knife, and right as she had, Rose was upon her, slashing twice with enough speed and power to split the air in half. All Molly could do was hold up her Chill Rod for protection, which blocked the attack but shattered. The resulting explosion threw Rose and Molly to their feet, who both got right back up again, refusing to give up.

Rose summoned two jutsus, one after the other, causing first a column of water to erupt around her, followed by the metal dust burst from before. Molly backed up, taking part of the water attack and missing the metal, falling down and choking on the water in her lungs. Rose dashed at the disabled Moogle with supersonic speed to finish her off with one final double-slice.

Amazingly, she managed to cast a spell. "Slow..." she managed to choke, swirling the Terre Rod as best she can. There was a very loud CRACK as Rose's Haste shattered by the sudden space-time shift, once again slowing Rose to half speed and this time dealing good damage as if a glass shell had exploded inside her. In slow motion the Ninja collapsed onto the ground, unable to continue her attack. Molly climbed to her feet and swung the Terre Rod into the ninja's skull as hard as she could with an underhand, baseball-bat assault.

The impact crushed half of Rose's face, deforming it and knocking her on her back, unable to move or fight. Time sped back up, and there she lay, breathing raspily and bloodied in many spots.

Molly approached her, staring down at the defeated ninja, her own body shaking in pain as well.

Rose spoke to her. "That was... a good fight, Molly..."

Molly panted, barely able to breathe both from the battle and the water attack from earlier. "Yes... it was a kupo... fight."

By now Tucker and the others had run up to her, but still didn't get too close.

Rose turned her head to look at Molly with her destroyed face, and smiled faintly. "Now... you have... no regrets about Dad."

Molly nodded, silent.

Rose continued. "It was an honor to fight you both, Molly... I have no regrets... either. ...You know... what to do. Finish this... Slay me... so your Dad's spirit... may finally be... at... peace..."

There was a long pause. Molly stared, battered and breathing heavy, at the disabled Ninja girl... Familiar images wafting through the Moogle's mind, images of the same love she felt when she was just a little girl... Images she thought she had forgotten completely, but were coming back to her clear as day...

_"Molly,"_ the voices spoke to her, _"You've done it. You've grown up, my girl... I knew you would, one day, and that I would help you, even if I was never around... I feel I've let you down by not returning home. Not just this time, but time and time again, I would never come home for moons at a time... I missed so much of your life... But, you seem to have forgiven me anyway. I thank you, and again, I am sorry... You know now that I will always be watching you, and my strength and courage are yours now..._

_"Molly. Thank you. I finally feel as though I'm free from a trap I've been in since the first day I left to travel. I belong... with you, my wonderful daughter..."_

Molly smiled faintly, staring down at Rose.

"Kupo..." she said to her, "His spirit... and mine... already are."

* * *

A young, Moogle Time Mage approached the square of North Residence. Tucker, Theodore, April, Alastor, Yinns and Heather sat on various objects or the ground, waiting for her.

Tucker approached the beat-up body of Molly, standing before her. "You did it, Molly."

"Yes, kupo. I did."

They hugged each-other, Tucker on the verge of tears now that he knew Molly was safe. Hurt, yes, but safe. Molly had won the final battle, and it was time to go home. "We're off, I guess..." Yinns decided. But Alastor wasn't going anywhere.

Yinns stopped. "Alastor, kupo? Aren't you coming?"

"...No." Alastor delivered his verdict, but he didn't seem angry. He was even smiling.

Molly sighed. "It's alright, kupo."

Everyone turned to her, shocked. "Molly, what...?"

She shrugged. "He'd be happier here, kupo. Besides... he needs it. Right, Alastor?"

"Yess... Rosse helped me undersstand..." Alastor grinned. "I belong here. Maybe, ssomeday, I can return to the outsside world, but until I get my inner rage under control, thiss iss my world."

Yinns. "Alastor... I'll miss you, kupo..."

"Here, guyss. Have ssome of thiss." Suddenly, there was a cluster of Zodiac Ore in his scaly palm, which he must have pulled from out of his armor.

Everyone gasped as they remembered. "Yeah, you still stole all those minerals from us, kupo!"

"I, um, ssold it all... exccept thiss... But I kept the money. It'ss all here in the Jagdss, and I can load it onto your Chocoboss for you..."

"...Keep it."

Now everyone was shocked at Yinns, not Alastor.

"That's right, kupo. Keep the Gil... but I want you to use it to help the people living in the Jagds. Help rebuild some of the houses, kupo... Make life at least _decent_ for them. They deserve a second chance, kupo, just like you do... and Molly..."

"I'd be happy to," Alastor decided. "Elliot would be proud of me for thiss."

Yinns and Alastor both nodded, and shook hands. Molly spoke. "Alrighty, kupo... I've had enough adventure for a long time. Let's go home."

_THWACK_. A throwing knife struck the ground an inch from Molly and Tucker's feet.

Alert, the clan turned up to the building top next to them, and a brown-haired Moogle in a dark purple jester jacket stood, two more daggers in hand. Right on that cue, several heavily-armed, dangerous-looking Jagd clanners appeared from the building tops, surrounding Clan Indigo on all sides. The Moogle spoke.

"I saw the whole battle, kupo. Nice fight, girl..."

Molly turned her slashed head up to the Moogle. "...You don't really mean that, do you, kupo."

The sinister Moogle, Nack, laughed. "Don't mess with Clan Loki, kupo. We look out for each-other, no matter what, something that the likes of you would never understand."

"HEY..." Tucker started, offended.

"An honorable fight, Moogle girl... An honor between you, your bastard father and our clan leader, Rose. You want honor? We'll show you honor, kupo... We'll show you how Clan Loki truly lives and dies by the code of the Jagds, the code of pure honor. No Judge is gonna save you this time, kupo. Not one of you."

The clanners of Clan Loki grinned. They outnumbered Yinns's forces at least 2 to 1, and they had powerful monsters such as Ahrimans and Malboros to help them. On top of that, Clan Indigo had no healer to help them.

As Tucker realized these things, he felt his faintest glow of hope shatter into a thousand pieces.


	33. Safe and Sound

Chapter 32 - _Safe and Sound_

"Die, Molly!!" Nack cried, chucking a knife straight for the center of Molly's chest. Tucker darted in front of her to protect her, and tried batting the knife away with his own dagger. Instead, it hit him square in the shoulder, causing him to cry out in extreme pain.

Nack laughed, throwing another dagger at Tucker, this one aimed for his forehead. But it never made it to the boy. There was the sound of two metal objects colliding, and both the dagger and an arrow fell to the ground in front of him. Before anyone knew what was going on, another arrow whizzed through the air and struck Nack in the chest for a critical hit, knocking him off his feet in agony.

"Who... Who was that..." he choked as a Viera White Mage of Clan Loki rushed to heal him.

An agile character landed in the fray at a crouch position, a massive Greatbow under one arm. She had wild, firey red hair, a firey thirst for action to go with it, a hunting knife in her belt and was dressed in black. Not even pausing, she loaded arrow after arrow and rained hell above the now panicked members of Clan Loki.

"It's Mickey!!" Yinns cried with an excited kupo, then rushed in to help with his Cat Claws, running up a stone staircase to one of the building tops to engage the clanners in hand-to-hand combat. April, also with renewed battle vigor, began firing Beso Toxico arrows up at them, and Theodore began to cast Firaga into the enemy fray.

Still injured, Molly leaned on Tucker for support, wishing she had the strength to help.

They heard another voice; the sound of a sweet, but serious, teenage girl. And as she spoke, Molly's jaw dropped and her pulse quickened. "White Wind!" Molly and Tucker felt holy-enfused fairy winds blow over them, mending any wounds they had and filling them with positive energy.

This was followed by "Meteorite!" by the same girl, as a comet dropped from the sky, coming from nowhere, and crushed Nack in an explosion of stardust. Good as new, Molly ran around the corner of a building and came face-to-face with someone she thought she would never see again.

"Clivia!!" she screamed joyously. "You're back from prison, kupo!! Clivia!!" She leapt at her and gave her a monster hug, and Clivia graciously returned it.

"It's good to see you too," the fairy girl said lovingly to her friend. "I almost died at that awful place."

Molly let go of Clivia, still in disbelief that she was with her long-lost friend once again. "How'd you get here, kupo?"

"Mickey bailed me out and nursed me back to health," Clivia replied, waving a hand towards Mickey who was too busy blasting the living daylights out of enemy forces to notice the two girls. "How'd you get so damaged??"

"Long, difficult battle with the Ninja girl that killed my father, kupo."

"Wow... It sounds like you've really grown up, Molly."

Molly nodded. "Yeah, but let's talk later, kupo. You be the healer; we've got some Jagd clanners to kick!" They re-entered battle, making short work of Clan Loki, who quickly retreated before they could suffer any real casualties in this lawless land.

Alastor was the only one to stay behind. He sighed. "Clan Loki brought that on themsselvess..." He seemed way more mature now than ever before.

Mickey was furious at him though. "Chicken bastard! Salamander! You stole their caravan!! I'll kill you like the dog you a--"

_Thwack..._ Molly got her on the head with her Terre Rod. And for once, Mickey stopped her rampage. She stared down at the Moogle. "...Molly, what's your... problem...?"

"Alastor's fine. Everything's fine now, kupo. Just letting you know is all!" Molly said with a smile.

* * *

The six clanners, plus Mickey and Clivia, stood near the North Gate of Jagd Ahli, facing Sain, Lelia and Domo, behind them Jaelyn and Cue, and Heather seated motionless on Jae's serpentine back.

Heather spoke. "I know the city of Ahli is dangerous, but please. If you ever feel the need to visit, we will welcome you with love. Clan Indigo is always welcome with us, as is Mickey and Clivia the fairy. And... we will never forget your wonderful feat of changing Clan Loki into our allies... Thank you."

Lelia approached them with a covered basket, or at least something that resembled one. "Here; I brought you a farewell gift."

Yinns took the basket and looked under the cover. "A whole basket of Lamia Eggs, kupopo!" He was touched. "Thank you so much, friends... As for visiting, I'm sure we could work something out, kupo. We're pretty laid back and stuff, open to change."

Molly gave each one of the North residents a warm hug, even Jaelyn and Cue. "Thanks for everything guys, kupo! Stay strong and safe while we're gone!"

Domo gave the clanners handshakes with his good hand. "Wonderful meeting you," he told them. Sain gave Tucker his headband as a gift, telling him to train hard.

Each said their goodbyes, and at long last the clan made their way from Jagd Ahli's borders back into Judge-watched lands. They walked for a small ways, so that Ahli was slightly in the distance, when Mickey stopped them and chuckled. They stared at her.

"I bet yer all wondering how I got here so fast," she said, grinning. "Anyway it'll help us get home, too. Wanna see?"

"Ooh, sure," Molly answered for the clan. "Right guys?" Everyone nodded, curious.

Mickey whistled shrilly, hurting everyone's ears. At first, nothing happened, but then the air changed around them as there was a blinding flash of white light, and Mussashi the Golden Chocobo warped in from the ether, stunning them all with its sheer majesty. "Wark!"

Of everyone there, Tucker was the most impressed. "That's a... Golden Chocobo! It can cross any terrain, even oceans!"

"Oceans, kid? Try _dimensions_," Mickey corrected. "Even the etheral plane counts as normal terrain to this beaut'. Now who wants a ride home?"

Tucker's eyes gleamed. As if his adventure couldn't get any cooler...

* * *

Eight Chocobo-warps later, the clan was standing in front of Molly's house, where Molly's mom, Tucker's mom, Gene, Cassandra and Grizwald waited. Tucker's mom took one look at Tucker and started bawling, overjoyed that he had returned safely. The two of them, as well as Gene and Cassandra, all shared a tight group hug. Molly hugged her mom as well, and the other members of Clan Indigo all crowded around Grizwald, overjoyed to see him after their experience in the lawless Jagd.

They all exchanged stories about what they had done while the clan was off in battle. At the homefront, the five of them had played a lot more Yahtzee, and Grizwald had written the rules down on a parchment and was working on distributing it as a public game on the market. Tucker's mom had also seen more of the city of Baguba, along with Gene and Cassandra, and the three of them had felt a lot better about their stay in Ivalice, except for the feeling of worry towards Tucker's absence and current wherabouts. Mom had also practiced her skill with the Heal Chime and mastered Cuisine, and was currently working on Frogsong with the Aona Flute. Cassandra and Grizwald had become good friends when the two found they had a common interest in card tricks (Cassandra did plenty at home and at school), and they had shown each-other all kinds of tricks the other hadn't known.

Tucker and the clan then explained their experience in the Jagds, and introduced Mickey and Clivia to the five of them, also explaining that Elliot was gone now and wouldn't be coming back, as was Alastor for a seperate reason. They were full of adventures, and almost too much for the two moms and Nu Mou to handle. At one point the problem of their old clan HQ came up, and what the clan would use as a new one, so Molly's mom showed the clan the backyard. Perched in the mightiest tree was a half-finished treehouse imbued with even more advanced technology than the one Yinns had built by hand. Yinns was blown away.

"Your friends from the airforce base decided to build you one when I told them about your loss, kupo," the Moogle explained. "They say it'll be finished by the end of the moon. Until then, you can all live here, kupo."

April gasped. "Are you serious?? Omigosh, that's soooo nice of you!"

The mom smiled. "Since I'm the new clan secretary now, kupo, it would be fitting. And Molly's grown up now, from the experience in the Jagds, kupo, so I don't need to look after her as much as before either... She can do anything on her own, and when you go off on another trip across Ivalice, kupo, we'll _both_ come with you this time."

"Right!" Molly exclaimed, grinning. "We're _all_ family in this clan, right, kupo?"

Cries of approval rang from the entire group.

As they all ate a tasty fish dinner, Tucker didn't seem in the mood for eating. He just looked at his food, no energy.

Molly was on one side of him, his mom on the other. "What's wrong, kupo?" Molly asked.

Tucker sighed. "Tonight I have to go home..."

"Oh..." This saddened Molly as well. She got an idea, and turned to Tucker's mom. "Tucker can stay here if he wants to, can't he, kupo?"

Mom smiled sadly. "Well... We would never see him again if he did, that's the thing..." She felt so bad giving the bad news to Molly.

"Kupo... And I know now how important family is..." She gave a soft kupo. "I... I guess... I understand... kupo... It's so hard to let you go, Tucker..."

She leaned a head against his shoulder, and he put his arm around her. "Yeah, me too... In fact I don't know what my life will be like without you there, Molly... And you can't come with me for the same reasons as I can't stay..."

Mom looked at them, a little upset now that Tucker had to leave this behind. She knew her son would never truly get over the loss of Molly... It was clear the two of them shared a relationship that surpassed anything else either of them would ever have with other people. Even if Tucker fell in love with someone else, it would never be as passionate as this.

"Ohhh, honey," she told her son, her hand on Tucker's left knee in a motherly fashion, "I know this is very hard for you... If you really want to stay, I won't force you to come, but you'll never see us again..."

"I know," Tucker answered. "But that's just it... The whole time before you and the girls got here, I missed you all so badly I cried... I'm not ready to leave you behind, Mom. And it's tragic that I'll never see Molly again, but... well..."

"I understand, kupo," Molly interjected. "Family's important... Just look at me and the clan. ...I'll miss you, Tucker, but it's for the best, kupo. Really."

"Yeah..." The two hugged. "Man, I've almost forgotten what my world is like, being here all this time," he laughed. "Even though it's only been a few days..."

Everyone finished their dinner, then Grizwald stood up. "Okay guys..." he announced in his grandfatherly voice, "I'm taking Tucker home. Whoever wants to say goodbye, come with me." Tucker, his siblings and parent, Molly, Yinns and Mickey followed Grizwald out the door of the house, Grizwald carrying the cracked Stardust Rod that caused this whole adventure. Clivia followed Mickey just for kicks.

The nine of them stood at the ocean cliffside, where Tucker had first appeared in Ivalice and where Clan Indigo's old HQ once stood, now a pile of ashes. Tucker faced the others, starting with Mickey.

Mickey shook his hand. "Nice fightin' skills you showed me back there, kid," she commended him. "I'll still never forget the little chicken bastard that cut me so swiftly, even when I'm a cracked old hag."

Tucker laughed. "Happy hunting in your future, Mickey."

"You bet," Mickey replied. "Now that I have Mussashi, I can freely hunt anywhere in the entire world."

Clivia grinned. "AND... She and I are thinking of traveling together across the distant lands. Just us two and the Golden Chocobo, Mussashi... Off on an endless adventure."

Molly grinned at the fairy. "Really, kupo? Wow..."

"Yeah," she went on. "We have so much to learn from each-other... Hunters and wilderness-dwellers have been on opposing sides for so long, but now, there's a chance to end such a fruitless feud between two people. We're going for it."

"Funny thing is," Mickey added, "I'm out of my mind to think of something like this. You know how I hate working with others. But hey, there's a lot of things I hate, and quite frankly I say it's gotta stop... This fairy friend of mine, she's taught me a little how to control my rage. Think we're off to a good start or what?" The huntress brushed some of her firey hair out of her eyes, revealing sparkling, earnest eyes. It was the first time Tucker or Molly had ever seen such friendliness in her eyes, and the wait was worth it. They both smiled, and shook her hands for the last time.

Tucker turned to Yinns, who shook his hand as well. "I'll never forget how you swooped down from the heavens and saved us from Sierra Gorge, kupo," the Moogle pilot told him, smiling as he remembered the moment.

Tucker nodded. "I'll never forget YOUR piloting skills either, man. You're the God of the skies."

Yinns smiled and kupoed. "Once the Blue Rocket, always the Blue Rocket. You watch yourself, kupo."

Finally, Tucker turned to Molly, not knowing what to say. "I... Molly..."

Molly gazed up at Tucker, trying not to cry. She finally smiled and reached up to hug him. They embraced, and Molly softly kissed his cheek. "Let's never forget each-other, kupo," she whispered. Tucker nodded silently.

Tucker walked back to Mom, Gene and Cassandra, as the four of them held hands. He turned to Grizwald. "Okay man, send us back. I had a wonderful time, but... we better get going."

"Right," the Nu Mou said quietly. "It is for the better. Here we go... Demi!" He held up the Stardust Rod, which lit up with a white glow before the air changed, as the black seam opened up around Tucker and his family, pulling them in and sending them across the dimensional barrier one last time. Molly smiled and cried as she waved goodbye to Tucker, the human boy that changed her life forever, knowing she would never see him again.

After the seam closed, Grizwald opened a scroll and chanted in a Latin-like tounge with his hand in the air. There was a rising whistling sound, and finally a loud snap and a flash of light, as the invisible seam snapped closed and disappeared, sealing the two worlds from each-other forever.

The old Nu-Mou sighed after the spell was finished. "Well, I guess that's that," he said. "I'm going to miss that kid."


	34. Emptiness

Chapter 33 - _Emptiness_

It had been a week, and the old Tucker was long gone.

He didn't often play video games anymore, even with his online buddies, and unlike before, now he was a very quiet person. He spent a lot of time sitting on his bed and staring at the wall, or drawing pictures, which is something he almost never did before. His sketches were of Moogles and sometimes other Final Fantasy characters, and after a few days they were very, very realistic.

Gene knocked on his door one day. "Come in," he said without looking up from his paper pad. Gene came in and watched him draw the sketch of the Mog Knight in a battle pose, with a specialized art pencil...

"Wow, Tucker, you're really good," she said after a long while. Tucker said nothing, his mind completely into the drawing.

His friends stopped by often as well, worried about their friend. A friend from school, James, brought some extra XBox 360 controllers. "Hey man, let's break out Halo 2 and have a good time like we used to," he said, nudging Tucker who was sitting on the bed, putting the finishing touches on a Bomb sketch.

"Not right now," Tucker replied distantly.

James glanced at the picture, astounded. "Whoa... Duuuude, you didn't tell me you could draw like that! That's tiiiiiiiight!"

"Mmm." He kept sketching, not looking up. James let him work until he finally put down the pencil and gazed at his creation. "Hmm... Yeah, this one's okay."

James looked at it. "Whoaaaaaa. It looks so _real_. That's tight, man. Got any others?"

Tucker flipped through the paper pad, showing him all 14 pictures he had drawn, starting from when he had just got back from Ivalice, to the current day. Each picture was better and more real than the last. James stared at each one, breathless.

"How'd you learn to draw so good, man? I thought you said you hated drawing."

Tucker laid down on his bed, as if exhausted. He kinda was. "Yeah, well, sometimes things happen to change a guy's mind."

"Wanna play some Halo 2?"

"No thank you."

"Aw come on, man! I brought these extra controllers just for us!"

"I said no thank you." Tucker's tone was flat and emotionless.

"Dude. That hurts. How'd you like it if--"

Tucker sat up and stared coldly at his friend, as if willing him to disappear. James backed up. "Whoa man, okay, I'm sorry... I'll just... come by some other time or somethin'..."

James and his other friends would come by sometimes after that, but Tucker would have nothing to do with any of them. It got to the point where they stopped him at the school cafeteria and demanded an explanation from him, stating that ever since he came back from being missing he'd been acting bizarre. Tucker blantantly told them they were never his friends, just big phonies, and he had just been given the clarity to see that. One of them punched Tucker in the gut out of anger; immediately he blocked the attack and delivered a blow to the friend's face with so much power it sent him flying backwards and crashing into a table. The abilities Tucker had picked up from Ivalice had stayed with him, and his friends stared at him wide-eyed as if he were an alien. The recepitent of the attack had to go to the hostpital, and Tucker was suspended for two weeks.

Only James came by after that, determined to get his friend back. "Tucker, it's me. Look, I'm--"

"I know," Tucker interrupted. "I shouldn't have punched Ed like that. I'm sorry."

James sighed. "We all get mad sometimes, man. I mean, fuck, look at me... I've gotten into at least four fights in the past three years... Can't call myself any better than you."

Silence from both of them. Tucker was lying in bed, staring at the wall.

James spoke again. "Hey Tucker... We're all worried about you. What happened to you while you were gone, exactly? Where _were_ you?"

"Distant lands of fire, ice and lightning," Tucker said slowly, almost chanting the words. "Lands filled with fantastic creatures, both warlike and peaceful. ...Lands that couldn't possibly be real, but they _are,_ James. They _are._"

James stared at Tucker, almost speechless. "...This is for reals?"

"I don't expect you to believe me. But I wouldn't lie." Tucker plopped back down on the bed, exhausted for no reason.

"I believe you," James said at last. "I mean, hell, it would explain why you're feelin' the way you are..." He snapped his fingers. "Aha, and _that's_ where you get all those pictures you've been drawing, right? Isn't that Final Fantasy? ...Shit, dude, that's trippin'." He thought he had finally figured it out, and the mere idea amazed him.

"You will never know how I feel," Tucker responded, almost reading his mind.

There was a long silence. James sighed again. "Well, man... If you ever need anything, I'm there for you. I mean obviously I can't know how you feel or anything, but I'm there for you if you need to talk or anything. I care about you, man. I really do."

"Thank you," was all that Tucker said. James left, and Tucker fell asleep soon after, dreaming about Ivalice and Molly. It was only 3:00 in the afternoon.

The weeks went by, and Tucker's condition didn't get much better. He thought about Molly a lot, even drawing some pictures of her in his paper pad. Some nights he would get out the Rod she had left him to remember her by, which reminded him of how real she was, and he would break down. At first it didn't make sense to him why he would be so longing to see Molly again, but he soon realized he was in love with the Moogle, but would never see her again, which made him cry again.

He had final exams to worry about in school, too, which he didn't do too badly at, even with Molly constantly on his mind. Three months after coming back from Ivalice, the final exams started, and Tucker passed almost perfectly, graduating from high-school.

Mom came into his room that night. "Tucker, honey, how are you doing? Here, I brought you a tuna sandwich, with onions the way you like it." She handed her son the sandwich, and he bit into it, feeling hungrier than he had in a while.

"Thanks, Mom," he quietly told her as he ate.

"I'm so proud of you," Mom went on. "You've finally graduated from high school... Now you can pursue your dreams of becoming a game designer."

"Video games no longer interest me."

Mom was highly surprised. "Okay, where is Tucker and what have you done with him?" she asked playfully.

Tucker didn't play back. "Tucker is in another dimension. And he will be for the rest of his meaningless, godforsaken life."

Mom thought this would be a problem. "Honey, if there was any way to send you back, I would let you know, you know... I know you miss Molly..."

"Miss her? She's been on my mind every day for the past month." He laid down on the bed. "If I could, I would spend the rest of my life with her... And for god sakes, she's a MOOGLE... And she's only 10..."

"Tucker, love isn't based on looks, it's based on integrity," Mom told him. "If she makes you smile and feel good just to see her, it doesn't matter if she's a human or a little furry thing or anything else. Also, she was only 10 in human years... Moogles age faster than humans," she remembered, having discussed that in a conversation with Molly's mom once. "...It really is okay. It's even natural, you could say." Mom never would have come to the conclusions she had if she hadn't actually been to Ivalice, and it was at a time like this that Mom was very glad she had went there and gained the insight from the experience.

"Yeah, but I'll never see her again..."

Mom gazed at her son, sad for him. "Ohh... I wish I could say something to make it all better, Tucker... Maybe it's time to move on, though. You can always find someone else, right?"

"No..." Tucker's voice started to break. "No. Never will I meet anyone as purehearted as Molly."

* * *

It was three days later, and Tucker heard Mom knock on his door, interrupting him from a drawing of Molly. "Come in," he distantly said in response.

Mom creaked open the door. "Hey honey," she said to him. "Someone's here to see you." Tucker looked, and standing in the doorway was an old man in loose clothes that were blue and grey, with _lots_ of grey facial hair-- he had bushy sideburns, a good-sized triangular beard and his normal hair was thick and slightly curled. He always reminded Tucker of a wizard when he saw him. Tucker knew this man-- he was their downstairs neighbor, the crazy old man Bate, famous to Tucker's family for his paranoia over the supernatural and his beliefs in other realms and dimensions.

Tucker's eyebrows shot up. He hadn't thought to talk to Bate yet... He would be the kind of man to believe anything Tucker had to say about Ivalice.

"He was worried about us," Mom explained. "He and I were just talking for a while... I'll leave you two be." She left the room, and Bate sat on the bed next to Tucker.

Tucker smiled. "Man, am I glad to see you. I hadn't thought to come stop by."

"That's okay," Bate said in the old, scratchy voice of a century-old warlock. "Your Mom doesn't think too highly of me for the most part."

"Yeah, I know. Listen, I have some things to tell you..."

"Ivalice." The old man smiled. "About Ivalice. Am I correct?"

Tucker's heart almost stopped. _He knew._ And he'd be just the kind of man to know something like that, too. "...Bate, you _knew??_ How?"

"You forget that I've studied these kinds of things almost all my life. Though I was quite surprised that you all made it back... Space-time seams tend to be a little unpredictable."

Tucker was still speechless.

"I just came by to see if you and your family had made it back on their feet yet," Bate continued. "I gave you all some time to recover from the experience... To my surprise your mom was actually happy to see me this time, so I figured you all were doing well." He got up. "I better get going, though... I have work to do."

"Wait!" Tucker exclaimed. "I need to... Can I, like... come over later today and tell you about Ivalice? ...I just need to get it out..."

Tucker saw a glint in the old man's eye. His heart raced as he realized the man had been waiting for him to ask that. "Very well," Bate replied. "You know where I am. Just a simple staircase away. I look forward to your visit, Tucker." And he left the room.

For the few hours leading up to that visit, the old Tucker was back. He didn't play any video games, though. He talked to Gene and Cassandra and Mom about all kinds of stuff, in a much better mood, and when lunch came he ate it up hungrily. He was bounding with energy, which he hadn't felt in seemingly ages.

He came down the stairs at 3:30, carrying a few things in a bag, and knocked on the door to Bate's complex. It swung open when his fist connected with it, having not been fully closed, and Tucker stepped inside warily.

Chaos. The place was filled to the brim with odd contraptions, talismans and bizarre decorations. There was a small path through the gadgets that Tucker could walk from room to room, so he made his way to the next room where Bate had a vial of clear liquid over a bunsen burner.

"Hey Bate, it's me," Tucker said casually. Surprised, Bate fumbled with the vial as it slipped out of his hands and shattered on the hard floor below. Bate turned around and wiped his forehead with a cloth on the table.

"My God, Tucker, you scared the living daylights out of me," he half-stuttered, staring disappointed at the glass shards of the vial at his feet. "It'll take me six months to find that solution again..."

"What was it?" Tucker slowly asked.

"Water," Bate triumphantly replied. Then he mysteriously added, "From the lair of a Naiad. ...The purest water in existance."

"Oh. ...What were you... N-Never mind, I don't want to know." Tucker sat down in the only chair in the room that didn't have stuff on it, looking through his bag. Bate stopped what he was doing and sat on an open space on the counter.

"So, my boy, let me hear about this adventure in Ivalice you had."

"Sure thing," Tucker started. "One day I was..."

He went over everything, from the time he was in his bedroom when the seam appeared, to his various adventures in Baguba, to when he stole the shuttle and rescued Clan Indigo, to his trip to the Jagds, to finally going home with vivid memories of his experience and no way to go back. He pulled Molly's old Rod and his green-blue Tunic out of the bag as he got to those parts in the story, showing Bate the proof of his experiences. Bate listened intently, commenting only occasionally.

"My mind has been going crazy," Tucker finished. "The only one I can think about any more is Molly... I know I'm in love, but I'll never see her again, so it shouldn't matter..." It was getting to be evening by the time he finished, and the skies of New York outside were darker. There was a long pause between them, then Tucker added, "Hey Bate, how did you _really_ know I had been to Ivalice?"

Bate stood up, looking Tucker square in the eyes. Tucker didn't want to miss this, and focused back at the man.

"I was born 67 years ago... in a distant city known as Cyril."

Tucker's heart jumped into his throat, blown away and unable to speak.

"In my day I was one of Ivalice's greatest Mages and scientists. Magic was my profession... I worked for the Palace as a mentor to young Mages of all types and races. But science was my hobby, my passion... Discovering things nobody had hoped to discover..." He laughed. "I remember how much more limited the land of Ivalice was in their scientific discoveries than here.

"I would try teaching some of the other important figures in Ivalice my scientific studies, but it was over their heads. At best, they would just be confused, but at worst I would be called a lunatic and a blasphamizer, and shunned for it. In Ivalice, magic was a much more practical solution to the world's problems than science, and even I agreed this was the case. But science was so much more _fascinating..._

"I couldn't stay there any longer, where they hindered my passion for science. What I needed was a fresh start... another world entirely, where people would listen to my discoveries with interest instead of scorn. I began researching space-time seams, ways to reach distant universes where I could use my scientific skills for the best... But the Palace found out I was delving into these subjects... _forbidden_ subjects... and they aimed to stop me...

"It was too late! Hahaha! I found out the answer before they could arrest me... I cast a gravity-distortion spell and amplified it with a yellow gemstone I had created, puncturing the dimensional barrier and throwing me to another world, equipped with only what I had on me... They had even tried to stop me from casting the spell, but they were too late! A moment too late! I was gone. The best they could do was seal up the seam so nobody else vanished...

"When I woke up, I was in Central Park, New York. Never go there at night, Tucker. It is more dangerous than even the lawless Jagds. A sinister man approached me with a switchblade and attempted to rob me. It was the only time I have ever used magic in this world in the open, visible to others. Rumors spread, and suddenly I was one of the most feared men in New York. I bought this apartment with some of the Gil I had with me... The landlord was thrilled to be given pure gold as payment, and I've lived here ever since, minding my own business...

"I soon realized this world was opposite from Ivalice. Science was advanced, magic was alien. Anything I had discovered in my home world had already been discovered here. But my passion for it continued to burn. I used the rest of my Gil to buy scientific equipment to run my experiments in peace, and I was content for a while.

"It was then that I began to miss my original calling... magic. This world had none. Just as you miss Molly, I, too, missed the fellowship I had among other Mages in my home world. Using the Internet, I found a secret online community based on supernatural phenomona, which was as close to magic as this world could get to the Ivalice definition... I was able to combine my two passions with the lab I had set up in my apartment complex, living off of a check I receive in the mail every month... The government considers me mentally disabled, so I get money from them. Strange how that works out.

"And so," he finished with a sigh, "here I am today. ...And Tucker, I do not believe in coincidences... I feel it is no coincidence you happened to go to and come back from the same universe I had been born in, _you_, being my upstairs neighbor..."

He stopped talking, letting Tucker take it all in. There was a long silence, as Tucker still didn't know what to say or make of it.

Finally Bate spoke two more words. "Follow me." He left the room, going to his bedroom. Tucker followed, almost desperate to know more. What was he getting at? Was there a way back?

Bate stopped, pulling out a Rod from a glass case above his bed. It was a lot like the Stardust Rod Molly had used once, but older, slimmer, worn out and the star-shaped jewel was more like a pearl-sized spiked sphere. Tucker deduced that it was probably an older model of the Stardust Rod.

Bate held the Rod in his hands, staring longingly at it and showing it to Tucker. Finally he said, "This Rod can send us both back. ...I could have gone back at any time, but Tucker, I was so afraid of what others would say when I got there... afraid of the rejection I had faced before..."

Tucker looked up at Bate's wrinkled face. "Hey... I don't think they'd reject you. You're not that kind of person."

Bate stared at the young man. "I suppose it's worth a shot... I'll go back if you do. Your story of Ivalice has made it worth it... I'll face any kind of rejection to see and feel the motherland one last time in my life, for your story has painted the vibrance of Ivalice fresh into my mind... and I long for it now..."

"Won't the seam stay open this time?" Tucker asked.

Bate shook his head. "I have a machine in this room for such an occasion. The seam will seal itself up 10 minutes after forming. So there's no going back once we get there." He stared at Tucker. "If you go with me, you'll never see your family or friends again, but you'll be with Molly. If not... you'll never get another chance in your life."

Tucker didn't have to think about it long. He knew he belonged with Molly. "Just let me say goodbye to everyone first," he asked his elder. "It shouldn't take long."

Bate smiled deeply, nodding. "Alright, my boy. Go now, I'll wait for you. Bring with you anything you'd like to take with you."

Tucker ran out of the complex and back up the stairs. He was going to see Molly._ He was going to see Molly again._

It had been several hours since he had left to visit Bate, and Mom was a little worried by the time he came back, bursting through the front door of the complex and racing into his room.

Mom followed him. "My goodness, Tucker, you were certainly gone long! ...Why are you packing your stuff??"

Tucker ran up to her and gave her a hug. "I'm going home, Mom."

Mom was confused at first, but it dawned on her. She smiled, gently stroking Tucker's hair once. "Alright, honey. Be good."

Gene ran into the room. "You're going back, Tucker?"

He nodded, giving his sister a squeeze as well. "Yep... It's where I belong. With Molly. I'll miss you guys so much."

"I'll miss you too, big brother," Gene said, returning the hug. Tucker turned around and handed her Molly's Rod, as a gift to remember him by. She held it in her hands, and smiled.

Tucker finished packing the stuff he needed, which wasn't much, as he was leaving all his video games behind. He wrote a long note on a piece of paper adressed to James, leaving him and all his friends any of his stuff he had left behind, including his computer and passwords to his online accounts of various websites and games, asking Mom to give the note to James next time he stopped by. She promised him she would.

Moments later, Tucker was hurrying down the stairs one last time, his mind racing with thoughts of seeing Molly again. He entered Bate's apartment. "Hey, I'm ready, Bate! Let's go home!"

The next day, the landlord of the apartment came by Bate's place, as she hadn't received the rent last night as expected, and found a note pinned to his door in Bate's usual hard-to-read handwriting. Curiously she took it and deciphered the note.

"Dear landlord... I have left, and will not ever be coming back. I forgot to pay you this week, so I left the payment on my bed. The door is unlocked. --Bate."

She entered the complex, looking around... All the lab equipment was either gone or shut off, the lights were off, but most of the non-perishable food had been left in the cuboards. A little worried, she entered his bedroom, and on his bed was a small pouch. Cautiously she took it, and emptied the contents in her hand. Five huge, solid diamonds fell into her open palm, glistening in the light through the window.

She stared at them, and as she did so, she found herself starting to cry... not because she was now wildly rich, but over the loss of Bate in her life-- Bate, the eccentric old man that made her role as a landlord more enjoyable than anything she had previously done in her life.


	35. The Return Home

Chapter 34 - _The Return Home_

Bate walked through the streets of Baguba, looking around at the genius architecture around him... He was home, and it felt wonderful. Nobody seemed to recognize him, though... which made sense, as he was only 17 when he left this world behind... As he stopped in the General Store to renew his Job class to Black Mage after all these years, the shopkeeper didn't recognize him either. He walked to the main Pub of Baguba and ordered a flask of pomegranite wine to silently celebrate his return, and as he was looking for a seat he spotted a Nu Mou Alchemist that looked very familiar.

The Nu Mou spotted him too, and they stared at each-other in awkward silence for several seconds.

"Teacher?" the Nu Mou finally said.

"...Grizwald?" Bate replied, slightly embarassed for some reason.

Grizwald started breathing heavier. "Oh my lord... Teacher, you're back... Please, please, have a seat!" He excitedly pulled out a chair by the table. "I missed you, Teacher! Goodness gracious, this is all so sudden!" He felt like he was going to have a heart attack.

Bate took a seat. "My, how you've grown..." he said quietly. "How is your Black Magic these days?"

"Well, I'm an Alchemist now, actually. Following the path of science over magic, but magic is still nice too..."

Bate was overwhelmed. "Alchemy..."

Grizwald spoke enthusiastically, with lots of hand gestures. "Of course! And I'm not the only one... The Mages I knew from the Academy years ago, we all stay in touch... Your teachings of magic and science have become famous, Teacher... I have all the books about the Elemental Theory of Bate, Bate's General Principle, Bate's First Rule of Black Magic..."

This was too much for the old man. "I'm... I'm famous??"

"And the history books say you one day mysteriously disappeared, with a few Templar from the Palace convinced you had fallen into a Seam... Teacher, you're one of the most famous Mages in all of Ivalice. You led the leading experts on magic into breakthrough after breakthrough after you disappeared..."

A small crowd of magic-users of various kinds had gathered around the two of them, touched, as if they had witnessed the birth of Jesus. Bate looked around at their eager faces, and suddenly broke down, shaking with sobs. "Oh my lord... It's good to... be back, guys..." A Nu Mou White Mage handed him a cloth, and Bate wiped his eyes.

The gathering of mages laid their hands on him to make him feel better. "It's okay, kupo..."

"We missed you and your wonderful teachings, Bate."

"This is so exciting! Welcome back, Bate!"

"You're a legend among us, man!"

A young Viera Summoner knelt down. "Hey Bate, could you give us one of your amazing lessons? We'd all enjoy it very much."

Bate looked up. "Right now?? Goodness, I... Well, I'm a little rusty myself... I've been in another world for ages, where magic doesn't exist..."

A Moogle Time Mage stood up from his chair. "Well, let's stop standing around, kupo, and help him get his magic back!"

"YEAH!"

"Sounds good!"

"Let's do it, Bate!" They eagerly helped the old human up.

Bate was moved, tears of happiness flowing down his cheeks. "Guys... Thank you so much..." The group of magic-users all left the Pub to find a spot to practice, and Jeremiah the bartender watched them leave, smiling. He loved his job... A miracle happened every day, right in his bar.

* * *

"MOLLLLLLLYYYYYY!!"

A young man in a nice, green and blue tunic, geeked out hair and square-rimmed glasses, carrying a light suitcase, neared the end of the familiar path through Baguba... Across the bridge, turn the corner, up the stairs, past the airport gates, around another corner, into the residential areas... He ran down the paved road, past several houses, his mind focused on only one house. His finish line.

The Moogle girl, who had just turned 11 a week ago, flipped the page of the adventure novel she was reading. The cry she heard could pierce any other form of noise. She knew it from anywhere, faint as it was.

"...olllllllllyyyyyyyy!!"

She dropped the book with a surprised kupo and ran outside, starting to cry. If this was just her imagination again, she didn't know what she'd do.

But it couldn't be. The voice came again. "MOLLY!! It's me, Tucker!! MOLLY!!"

"Kupooooooo! Tucker!?" She ran up the paved walk from her house, seeing the young man in green running towards her. This was really happening! "TUCKERRRRRR!!" she screamed, crying tears of happiness and joy.

Tucker dropped the suitcase and ran to her, arms outstretched. Molly did the same. "Molly!"

"Tucker... It's you..."

They crashed into each-other, rolling to the ground in a loving embrace. They stopped, and Molly was on top of him, both of them staring into each-other's eyes and smiling.

"I'm back," Tucker told her, breathless. "I love you, Molly."

"Kupo..." She reached forward and kissed him before he could do anything. They parted, Tucker wiping the tears from Molly's face. "I love you too, Tucker," she breathed, ending in a warm, long, melting kupo, happier than she had ever been in her life.

The two stayed like that for seemingly ages, then Tucker decided he had to go and get his stuff. He went with Molly to where he had dropped his suitcase, retrieved it, then they walked towards the house together. Molly felt warm inside having Tucker by her side. "The treehouse is done, kupo," she told him excitedly. "We have some new clan members too, kupo... Let me introduce you!"

They entered Molly's house, no doubt in Tucker's mind that he truly belonged here.

* * *

That night, before Tucker went to bed in his sleeping bag, he made sure not to forget setting up the last of his possessions by the candle in Molly's room... a framed group photo of Gene, Cassandra, Tucker and his mom, smiling. It was all he had to remember them by, but it was enough. The rest of his stuff was in the treehouse.

Molly and Tucker gazed at each-other one last time before they went to sleep, Molly up in her bed, Tucker wrapped up on the floor...

"We really oughta get you a bed, kupo," Molly giggled. "Or a bigger bed for both of us to lie in. This room won't fit two beds after all, kupo..."

"If you say so," Tucker replied, laying his head on the pillow he had brought. He sounded tired. "Or save up for a bigger house, just you and me..." He let out a long sigh.

"You okay Tucker?" Molly sweetly asked, staring at him over the top of the bed, an orange glow cast over her face from the dim candlelight.

He couldn't see her, as he had removed his glasses. "Yeah, I'm good," he sighed. "Better than ever."

He started to drift off, when he heard the sound of something landing on the floor, followed by Molly laying down next to him and pulling her blanket over her. She laid her head on his chest, a feeling Tucker had long missed. He reached out and softly stroked the fur on her head, careful of her furry pompom that all Moogles had in common with each-other.

As Tucker drifted off, he thought of his future... It was sure to be filled with adventure of all kinds, both good and bad. He didn't mind the bad stuff, though. He was at long last reunited with the energetic Moogle lass that had stolen his heart, and united they would stay until they perished. He felt complete. It was a feeling he had never felt, nor would he feel from anything else but this.

"I love you, Molly," he said to her again, smiling faintly.

"I love you, Tucker," her voice replied, sweetly and dreamily. "Please keep me."

They both fell asleep at the same time, each in a state of the purest bliss.

It was only a taste of what was to come during the rest of their lives together.

_**THE END**_

(Check the next "chapter" for Author's Notes about the whole story. Hope you liked it.)


	36. AUTHOR'S NOTES

**SCHWA'S FINAL WORDS**

Years and years ago, I got totally into the game FFTA. I mean seriously, it's a great game, and there's a great concept for it too. But my obsessions tend to last a long time then die off all the sudden, and that was the case with FFTA as well.

Years later, I got addicted to the game Chrono Trigger, beat it, and then, because I was in a "different" mood, decided to look up some fanfics for it. I found a few... but for some reason I decided I should check out the FFTA fanfics too. Looking through them, I found one I really really liked... and now I'm like, "You know, I'm a good writer, I should really try my hand at this."

Thus, Moogle Comfort was born (though I thought of the name as the very last thing). Thing is I actually only had a tiny portion of it planned out in my head initially, and that was the part with Tucker coming into Ivalice. I didn't know what Tucker was going to DO once he got there. In fact, the fic never intended to be a love story between a human and a Moogle... You good writers out there know what it means for the story to "write itself" once you're far enough along, right? That's what happened here.

So, realistically I was making most of the story up as I went along, though by the time I was done I was sure to edit earlier parts as the puzzle pieces of the plot fit together in my mind over time. I'm actually kinda impressed with how it turned out at the end with Clivia. Don't know why that in particular stands out so much, but it does. P

Anyway... I had the whole story finished before I started posting it to . The reason I stopped posting the rest of the chapters is actually because I lost faith in myself as a writer... my first Review was to blame for that. Now just so we're all clear, IceyTheFox is a pretty awesome dude... But that review he wrote after just two chapters scared me shitless. (A friend of mine read it and thought IceyFox was a college professor. I wouldn't be surprised if he _were._) The review mainly said two things: My writing style did "too much telling, too little explaining", and that I overemphasized the obvious, such as Molly being a Moogle.

Well, I won't go onto a rant about this... I actually agree with both of those things, but to be honest, I can't help it. At all. It's how I write. I'm Autistic, and I see the world in a black-and-white way, hence the first point he made... Though don't get me wrong; as I wrote this story, I did indeed have an extremely vibrant vision of whatever was happening. Some people like this kind of writing. Some don't. That's pretty much the case with all kinds of writing, really. My friends loved it (by friends, I mean the two friends that go to this site too... not some random friends that adore everything I do, so don't get the wrong idea XD), and they're pretty critical on the subject of writing. So the Review I got from this guy... It crushed me, and I lost all faith in myself as a writer. Even though he also said in the review it was also "pretty good", I missed that bit because I was so upset about the first two. (Blame my Autism again for the tunnelvision.) I kid you not, I didn't write anything again for 6 months or so.

So my half-finished (as far as you all knew) fanfic lay on the site, eventually forgotten, cutting off at the part where Molly's dad died. Wonderful.

It wasn't long before I started having memories of this whole ordeal, and that it started bugging me that I never posted the other chapters... I wanted to finish posting the story, but I was afraid to, because I was afraid I'd lose interest in my current obsession with the computer game I'm designing and it would get put on hold again. (I can only focus on ONE thing at a time, no matter what. It's the Autism again.) The final straw, however, had to do with Phoenix Wright.

You heard me. I found some YouTube videos of the gameplay of the third game, and I loved it so much I wanted to read some, you guessed it, fanfics. In the PW:AA section, first page, there's a short fic that has to do with Valentine's Day, but what caught me wasn't the fic, it was the author. Amycake. Her name was Amycake! :D I always love cute usernames, so just out of curiosity I read her Bio she wrote.

That did it.

Her bio inspired me... From what I gathered, nobody she knows in real life supports her writing works, but she was brave enough to join the site and post them anyway. She has more guts than I ever will, I'll say that much... But that did it. I decided right there to finish posting the other chapters. So I went over them all again, rewrote some parts (including removing two full chapters), and started uploading.

Now, um, about some of the characters... I named the main character Molly because Molly is an innocent, pure name. I was mainly thinking of the third Pokemon movie when I thought of this, but in reality, every Molly I've ever known from stories and such was a pure hearted girl. I know this Molly kind of turns dark later on for a while, but again, the story wrote itself in time, so...

Yinns is actually one of the characters I roleplayed with online for 3 years, though I only used Yinns for less than 1 (instead I used different characters). He's actually nothing like the first Yinns. The only similarities are that he's a Moogle Gadgeteer and that he's an airship pilot for a past war.

Theodore, April, Alastor and Elliot are just supporting characters; I didn't get them from anywhere, except for that I eventually made April into a giggly schoolgirl type character. Kinda. To be honest she was actually half-based on _a member of this site._ But I won't say who... She can probably figure it out. Anyway it was in a good way, so hey.

Mickey's personality is based on my ex-military Aunt in real life, but Mickey swears and curses more than the Aunt does. I hope that doesn't offend her. :S

Tucker's personality was hard... I tried to get inside the mind of a neurotypical video-game nerd as best as I could. He's not based on me... He's based on a little of every male video gamer I knew in high school.

Then of course I had to put a Golden Chocobo in the story, 'cause they're kewl... :3

The last thing I want to say is about the fight at the end. Why does Molly kill Rose? It's symbolic more than anything. Molly was losing everything in her life due to one unlucky mishap after another... Winning that life-or-death battle wasn't going to make the bad luck stop, which was probably just coincidence, but she needed to beat the one who killed her dad so she could _get over_ her losses. Hope that clears stuff up.

Okay, one last-last thing. :P This story... I wrote it because of a vision. I wanted everyone who reads this to see the same kinds of beautiful things I do when I close my eyes every night. Maybe a human falling in love with a Moogle is a little weird, but you know, maybe it's not. ) I know it's not the best story in the world, but I put all my soul into it just for you, and it's my hope that when you read this, you feel the impact of that soul energy full force.

I don't own Final Fantasy Tactics Advance... All the characters that show up in the fic, except for the Bangaa Totema, are non-canon, but all the special attacks, locations, items, etc. ARE canon, and I don't own it. I just like to write.

I think that'll do it. Aspies forever! --_Schwa_

P.S. Let me know what you think of the story! You can do it in a Review, obviously. ;)


End file.
